


Recoil (An Undertale fic)

by CanYouNotDoThatPls



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Bad Puns, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Female Reader, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Goatmom, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Mild Language, Minor underaged drinking, Possessive Sans, Reader Has Issues, Reader doesn't like being touched, Reader-Insert, Sad, Sans Needs A Hug, Selectively Mute Frisk, Slow Burn, Work In Progress, adding tags as I go, but not for a while, chapters will vary in length, i'm not very good, idk - Freeform, like really, what am I doing with my life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-05-25 19:28:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 31,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6207544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanYouNotDoThatPls/pseuds/CanYouNotDoThatPls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You're 19 years old, no job, no motivation... It's not like things can get worse? It shouldn't hurt to go for a hike and clear your mind, right? Nope, not with your luck. Now you're stuck underground and have to find your way out while getting passed creatures the entire world considered nothing more than fantasy. At least it beats sitting at home. </p><p>(on hiatus,<br/>probably won't finish this tbh)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You Feel... Something

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah this is my first fic. Actually, this is my first attempt at writing anything. I will try to update at least once a week. Hope you enjoy my trash! <3  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh, this intro chapter is pretty bland and can pretty much just be skipped altogether as it has very little impact on the plot. It's just some background on the reader.
> 
> If you do read, I would love some constructive criticism!

The shrill sound of a beeping alarm rang in your ears jolting you awake. A small whimper of protest escaped your lips as you groggily reach for your phone, silencing it. Ugh, one of these days you need to remember to change that obnoxious alarm tone to something more pleasant. Making that mental note, you lean forward and stretch your arms above your head, letting out a huge yawn. Your eyes drooped as you fought to stay awake and reluctantly shoved the blanket covering your body. Yesterday’s events had left you even less motivated than usual and it didn’t help that sleep eluded you that night. You rubbed your face and made your way to the bathroom to prepare for the school day.

You stripped out of your pajamas and couldn’t help but sweep your gaze across your bare body. Man… You really need to start jogging or something. Your stomach slightly protruded out and red stretch marks interrupted the smooth skin on your thighs. It wasn’t as bad as you were making it out to be but you couldn’t help but always wear longer shorts and bigger shirts to hide behind. Climbing in the tub, the warm water eased you as you stand in the shower and began lathering shampoo through your messy hair. Your mind begins to wander as you recall every detail of yesterday.

You had just returned from school when you hear the distinct ‘ding’ of your cellphone. Checking the message, you see that it’s your mother.

 

_(Mom - 3:01 PM, 03/27/201X)_

_Hey, Mack and I are at your school in the office. Austin got into trouble during class. We’ll be home soon._

 

Geez, again? You did wonder why he hadn’t come home with you but just dismissed it as him being picked up for an appointment of some kind. Your little brother Austin seemed to be getting into more and more trouble recently. You felt a twinge of sympathy for your brother, as you knew he was getting a thorough tongue-lashing as soon as they got here. You flinched at the thought of your stepfather, Mack. He was normally a really cool guy and you love him more than you did your biological father but hoo boy did he scare you sometimes. It was mainly because he doesn't emote much, but when he’s angry, he shows it and it is intense. You then felt your phone vibrate in your hand and see a message that made your stomach drop.

 

_(Mom - 3:03 PM, 03/27/201X)_

_You’re next when we get there, missy._

 

Well shoot. Your mind raced to think of what they must have found out, but you came to a conclusion rather quickly. Recently, you’d been finding it harder and harder to focus during your classes and your grades had fallen significantly. Each time you’d try and get something done, you’d overthink things and get frustrated, stop out of anger and distract yourself with nonsense. It was a vicious cycle; you’d forget to or neglect to do something, feel bad and mope about it, and even less would get done. You hardly even cared at this point since it felt like you were so far behind, there’s no way you were going to catch up before the end of the school year. 19 years old, still in high school, no job and no driver’s license. The only reason you still went back to try and get your diploma was to possibly make your parents happy. Your face grew hot and tears began to well up in your eyes, your hands shaking as you fight the urge to fall to the floor and weep.

Not too long and your family walks through the door. Thinking of a few words to describe their expressions, there was one that described them perfectly: _pissed_. The next two hours consisted of yelling, gratuitous cursing, and tears. The stress apparent on their faces, the things they said, and how disappointed they seemed to you. These things have left imprints on your mind and soul. They love you and they do these things because they want you to succeed, but in your eyes, you don’t deserve how much they care. You hadn’t done anything to return the favor.

They had brought up a few good points, however. If you want to change, you have to make the effort, and yet you don’t. You put it off and procrastinate, hiding behind things to keep yourself entertained; the Internet, video games, TV shows, books, drawing… You became so obsessed with trying to distract yourself that you hardly live anymore, always either hanging out in your room or with your face stuck in your phone. You had even ended up distancing yourself from the very few friends you had.

You’re plucked from your flashback by heavy thumping on the bathroom door. You could hardly make out the voice of your brother over the sound of the water around you.

“What’s taking you so long? Hurry up, I still need to get ready too!”

With that, you rinse your hair once more and shut the water off. Cool air hit your soaked form and you shivered, hastily wrapping the towel around you.

It was still early when you finished your morning routine. Taking one last look in the large bathroom mirror, you considered your outfit. You had chosen a black hoodie that had large white text across the top saying “Meow you doin’?” followed by a toony image of a cat winking, light gray sweatpants, and to complete the lazy look, a comfortable pair of black boots. You instinctively made your way over to the family computer, casting a glance over to your brother sitting on the couch who was staring at his phone. Austin was two years younger, though anyone would guess that he was the eldest of you two. He was husky with messy brown hair and freckles peppering his face.

A small smile perked on your lips as you remembered how he attempted to comfort you yesterday when you broke down in your room. He had gently pat you on the back while muttering the occasional “It’s okay.” and  “Calm down.” Even while you were curled up hugging your knees and quietly berating yourself, he tried to help. It was sweet but so unlike him. He’d never been the most caring and you have had your fair share of arguments, but his support reminded you that he does care, even if he doesn’t show it often.

Finally, you both made your way out front and hopped on your bikes. Placing your headphones over your ears and switching on a playlist from your phone, you both began pedaling through the cool morning. As you made your way down the familiar roads, you caught yourself staring at the large mountain that stood high in the distance, dwarfing the buildings around you. A strange feeling filled your chest. An odd, almost longing feeling.

 

~~~~~

 

The day went by agonizingly slow. By the time you get to your fourth class of the day, you’re already finding yourself nodding off and zoning out. You sit absentmindedly, the teacher’s ramblings becoming incoherent static in your ears. Your mind wanders to the peculiar sensation you felt earlier this morning as visions of the towering mountain fizzled into your mind. You knew somewhat about Mount Ebott already; mostly just about the tales and rumors of people climbing it and never being seen again. What was this feeling? Never before had you even given the bluff anything more than a glance or two but now suddenly you felt curiously drawn to it.

“_______?” you jolt up from your thoughts to see the teacher and your classmates staring.

“Would you mind continuing where we left off?” he says, a slight edge in his voice.

You look down and notice a packet had been passed out to you. They were popcorn reading it and must have called your name while you weren’t listening. Your face flares red and you feel little droplets of sweat form on the back of your neck. “Uh, w-where were we at?” your voice is just over a whisper and you hear a couple students giggle at your confusion. You keep your face to the packet now, not wanting to meet the eyes of judging classmates and disgruntled teacher.

After what felt like the longest school day ever, the final bell rings. Students impatiently shoved their way out the door in a clamorous cluster. Swinging your backpack over your shoulders, you hastily make your way out. Making your way over to the bike rack, you see Austin bent over and undoing the lock from his bike. He looks up and waves as you approach your own bike. He shoves his lock in his backpack and gripes loudly.

“I know I should be happy it’s Friday, but I have to work at 4:00. Ugh… I just want to go home and sleep.” he throws his head back melodramatically and groans. Rolling your eyes and pulling your bike out, you perk up and smirk deviously.  “Aw, poor Austin. You must be feeling _wheely tired_.” you say, rolling your bike back and forth to accentuate the puns. Austin visibly cringes.

“Wow. Seriously? That was awful.”

“I thought you _biked_ my puns?” you can hardly hold back snickers as his face warps in annoyance. You know it’s an act, however, as you see the edge of his lips fighting back a grin.

“Stop it.”

“What’s wrong? Am I grinding your _gears_?” the gears on your bike click loudly as you adjust them. Suddenly, Austin hops onto his bike and takes off for the sidewalk outside the school grounds.

“Hey, wait up! I was just yanking your _chain_!” you yell after him as you follow suit.

Austin was a couple feet ahead, his head bobbing to the music blaring from the headphones around his neck. You pant lightly as your legs pumped to keep up with him. As if clockwork, your mind wanders off again. Your stomach lurched as you realize you hadn’t seen or spoken to either of your parents since the intense conversation the day prior. After they had both vented their frustration, your mother and Mack had went off to “take a drive”. For the next 3 hours, you cried and cried. It took a while for your breathing to calm down. You decided to work on homework for the rest of the day, but you could hardly focus with your mind racing on everything your parents had told you.

Blinking back to reality, you look ahead and notice that you weren’t moving and Austin was nowhere in sight. You were leaning your bike with one foot on the sidewalk. Had you stopped without realizing? You stood there for a moment, considering your options. It didn’t take long for a decision to be made as you turn your bike off the sidewalk to ride over the rough terrain. You just need some alone time to collect yourself. To get all your thinking done without distractions. Then, you could focus solely on schoolwork without your guilt weighing down your back. That makes sense, right? A place so quiet and devoid of people, you thought, had to be Mount Ebott.

You harden your resolve and pedaled through the grass and dirt, the path causing you to bounce uncomfortably as you rode. It felt like you’d been pedaling for about an hour. Houses and buildings seemed to appear much more scarcely the more you closed the distance between you and the mountain. Legs sore and face shiny with perspiration, you panted heavily, once again remembering the stories; tales of how people seemed to just disappear when they climbed it. A small twinge of apprehension wriggled its way into your mind, only to be shadowed by a growing excitement. Your legs pumped rhythmically as you pushed onward.

After what felt like ages, you’re met with a fence about 10 feet tall. Signs of many shapes and sizes litter it’s surface all with similar messages; “keep out”, “no trespassing”, etcetera. Nope. You’re not giving up that easily, not after how long it took to get here. You pull your bike lock out of your backpack and lean your bike against the fence, tethering it there. You climb onto the seat and toss your backpack over the top with a heave. Still balancing on the bike, you hook your fingers into the diamond-shaped metal lace and begin to climb. It rattles and bends as you use any foothold you can.

Pulling with all the strength your noodle arms can muster, you swing your legs up and over the top of the fence with a huff. Panting, you balance yourself atop the metal bar and look out at the open land behind you. The sky was beginning to darken on the horizon. Must be getting late. How long have you been out here? You gingerly turn around towards the mountain. The shadow it’s casting makes everything seem darker and yet you feel almost drawn to it. You look down and your stomach drops and your fists clench onto the metal bar.

“Okay… I got this.” you’re psyching yourself out. This is probably a bad idea. Ignoring your conscience, you shove yourself off the fence. Landing on your feet, your legs buckle under the impact with the ground and you land face-first into the dirt. "Oww..." you wince pathetically as you stand back up and dust the dirt from your clothes. Looking down, you notice little drops of crimson dappling the ground below. 'Smooth move, ______. You couldn't have just climbed down like a normal person, nope.'

As you rubbed your face with your hoodie sleeve, you notice the blissful silence. The only sound was the wind tugging at the tall grass at the mountain's base and the occasional chirping of finches in the scattered trees. It was incredibly calming and you found yourself mesmerized for a spell. You began making your way up, the gentle slope slowly becoming harsher as you navigated the best paths. The grass began to thin out and be replaced with rocks and cliffs.

You weren't entirely sure where you were going but you don't care. For once, you were actually focused. Not once had your attention wavered as you climbed higher and higher. You had almost forgotten why you came here as you made you way up. You notice that the sky was growing darker. You hadn't considered how you were going to navigate after the sun had set. Even now, you're starting to have trouble seeing good places to climb.

Suddenly, you feel your phone buzz in your hoodie pocket. Deciding to take a break, you look for a comfortable place to rest. Taking notice to a small clearing, you tread over towards it, leaping on rock after rock. As you make you way toward the clearing, you decide to check your phone to see what caused the buzzing. You cringe when you see the notifications. 7 missed calls and 10 new messages. You're about to check the texts when a loud thump causes your stomach to drop, followed by a feeling of weightlessness. You open your mouth to scream but nothing comes out as the world is swallowed by darkness, a sharp pain in the back of your head being the last thing you recognize as your consciousness falters.


	2. Fallen Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet a friendly flower.

Pain. Oh man, everything hurts. Your whole body feels raw and bruised. But pain meant you were alive, at least, for now. You squinted your eyes as you tried to open them. They slowly adjusted to the faint moonlight filtering down from a chasm far above. You wince as you force yourself into a sitting position, drinking in the details of the dimly lit cave. It was empty, the drab stone only interrupted by a single dark path at the far edge of the room. You feel the ground below you. Looking down, you realize you were sitting in a patch of yellow flowers. They were soft and springy and didn't seem all that damaged by your weight. These must have broken your fall, you think.

"Unngh... what happened?" your voice is hoarse and strained. You look back up towards the hole you fell into. There was no way to climb out from what you could tell. You grunted, half from pain and half in frustration as you began to get back on your feet. As you pull yourself from the comfortable bed of flowers, a sudden pain shoots sharply up your left leg from your ankle causing you to fall forward onto your knee. Your teeth clench as the pain begins to subside slightly. You hadn't noticed it before, but looking at your ankle, you wince at the ugly purple and blue blotches and the way it was protruding. Broken, no doubt.

Surveying the rest of the cavern, you perked up at the sight of your backpack. Gathering every bit of willpower you had, you lurched towards it. Nabbing the water bottle from the side pocket, you greedily down every last drop. The cool liquid dampens your dry mouth and soothes your strained throat. Placing the now empty bottle back in it's place, you shuffle through the contents of your bag. Innumerous papers are spurned about as you empty it of anything useless. Schoolwork was the last of your problems at the moment.

You left only the essentials: leftover snack packages from lunch, a notebook, a few pencils and an emergency multipurpose knife. Shakily pulling your backpack over your shoulders, you realize something's missing. Something important. 'Oh shoot. Where's my phone?' You limp over to the bed of flowers and sweep your hands through them, feeling around for the familiar piece of plastic and glass. Your frantic sweep rewards you as your hand brushes over it. Incredibly, it survived the fall without a scratch. It fumbles in your hands as you promptly press the power button. Not turning on. 'Are you serious? A dead battery now?'

The small glimmer of hope you had faded just as quickly as it appeared. Letting loose a sigh of defeat, you shove the phone in your backpack and with no other options or ideas, you sluggishly begin to limp your way through the dark hall. After a torturous several feet, out of the darkness you can just make out the shape of a large doorway.

“Ungh… I th-thought this was a cave..?” you mumble to yourself in an attempt to break the eerie silence. Peering through the entrance, your eyes widen at a bright light. It cut through the darkness and your heart soared. A way out maybe? With a new found energy, you pushed forward, the adrenaline now pumping through you numbing the intense fatigue you felt only seconds ago. When your eyes adjust to the light, you stop. It was a narrow stream of light shining over a single yellow flower, not much unlike the ones you woke up on. The only difference being that this flower… has a face? The flower perked up as you approached. It turns to you with an incredibly wide smile, it’s beady black eyes twinkling with delight as it swayed it’s petals enthusiastically.

“Oh, howdy! My name is Flowey! Flowey the Flower. Who might you be?” the flower spoke with a friendly, almost child-like tone. Wait, the flower just spoke? What’s going on? Then it hit you. You started to giggle out loud and Flowey stares at you in confusion, his smile falling slightly. This was a dream. It had to be. A sigh of relief escaped your lips. It was just a really, _really_ vivid dream. You were at home right now, sleeping soundly in your cozy bed. Well, might as well see where this dream goes while you're still lucid. Flowey blinks as you look back down to him.

“Uh, anyway… You’re new to the Underground, aren’t ya? Someone will have to teach you how things work around here. I guess little ol’ me will have to do!”

And with that, you feel a peculiar tugging at your chest. It was unlike anything you’d ever felt before. It didn’t hurt, yet it felt very unnatural. You found your hands reflexively grabbing at your chest. Your breath hitches as a bright yellow light illuminates the area before you. A brilliant yellow toony heart floats in front of you. You gawk, awestruck and oddly frightened by it. Flowey giggles and bounces in excitement.

“See that heart? That is your soul! The very culmination of your being.”

“My soul?” you echo in confusion.

“Yes! Down here, a strong soul is everything. But your soul seems rather weak.” For some reason, that comment hurt but you’re not sure why since you have no idea what a weak soul entails. He tilts his head and gives you a gentle smile.

“Hey, don’t worry! Your soul can grow stronger if you gain a lot of LOVE. You want some LOVE, right? I’ll share some with you.” the flower winks. Souls grow stronger with love? That’s adorable. “Down here, LOVE is shared through little white “friendliness pellets.”” All of a sudden, small beads of white light flicker above his petals. “Here, move around and catch as many as you can!”

All at once, the pellets began hurriedly making their way towards your soul. You instinctively try to move your body but you can’t move. Instead, you see the green heart before you move a little to the right. You try to move your body to the left, the soul moves in conjunction. Okay, this doesn’t seem too difficult. You notice that the pellets had all missed your soul while you were testing how it moved. Flowey’s smile falters slightly.

“Hey buddy, you missed them. Try again, okay?” Another wave of pellets fly out from above him. Now that you had an idea of what you were doing, you force your soul up to meet the cluster of white lights. An intense pain burns through your form. You shriek as you convulse under the sudden searing agony. Your skin felt like it was being pierced by a thousand tiny nails. Through the tears in your eyes, you look back at Flowey. His once innocent face had contorted into something you could only describe as demonic.

“You IDIOT. In this world, it’s kill or be killed!” Flowey’s voice had changed to match his nightmarish face; raspy and maniacal. This isn’t a dream, you think. This is a nightmare. Why haven’t you woke up yet? Your blurry vision identifies a ring of white pellets surrounding your now dimly glowing golden soul.

“Die.” Shrill laughter echoes through the caves, the pellets slowly closing in on your soul. You squeeze your eyes shut and brace yourself for the final blow. A small part of you was almost relieved that the suffering would soon end. A bright red light glows through your lids. Snapping them back open, a ball of flames is shooting its way down the corridor. It impacts Flowey and forces his stem out of the ground, the pellets dissipating. He writhes and hisses before retreating into the ground. You lay on the cold stone floor, your eyes fighting to stay open as you felt exhaustion lace every part of you. Through your blurry, half-lidded eyes you see a furry white hand tactfully push your battered soul back into your chest. You shiver at the feeling. Your eyelids fell as soft mumbling lulled you. Giving into your fatigue, you lay limp in the arms of a warm, plush body.

 

~~~~~

 

Heavy static hummed through your mind. You saw nothing but blackness and yet the noise was prominent. At some points, you thought you heard the deep rumbling of a voice calling out but it was so garbled over the constant static that you couldn’t decipher what it was trying to say. The static begins to fade as your body slowly wakens.

You feel the comforting weight of a blanket over your form. Snuggling closer to your pillow as you stretch your arms, your eyes flutter open as you yawn hugely. This isn’t your bed. You jolt awake, scanning the dark forms around the room. “Where am I?” you whisper, beginning to quiver in fear. Suddenly, you remember. Hastily pulling the comforter off your body, you look to see you were wearing a deep purple satin sleeping gown adorned with a peculiar white symbol. You shift your gaze over to your left ankle; it was a pale fusion of purple and red splotches. Prodding it gently with an index finger, you flinch as a shallow pain sweeps over it for a moment. The realization hits you like a brick: it’s not a dream. You had fallen into a chasm in Mt. Ebott, had your soul pulled from your body, were attacked by a murderous yellow flower, and then…

Your breath caught in your throat. What happened after you blacked out? You take a closer inspection at the dim room, the light coming from a crack under a door made it able to see easier. Books and games lay on a shelf next to a dusty wardrobe. A toybox sat at the foot of the bed, which you now noted was fairly small compared to yours. Was this a child’s room? You then notice the shape of your backpack leaning against the far wall. Taking a small step from the bed, you test your ankle. It stung as you put weight on it, but it was bearable. As you began to slowly make your way to your bag, a sweet smell abruptly hits your nose and your stomach growls noisily in response. Looking around, you see the source sitting on a desk beside the bed. It was a delicious looking slice of pie on a white porcelain plate. How had you not noticed that before? A small piece of paper sat neatly next to it. You couldn’t help but admire the beautiful handwriting; the letters were uniform and tidy, emitting a regal vibe.

_Hello young one!_

_I hope you enjoy this slice of cinnamon-butterscotch pie. If you are unable to walk, I have placed a cellphone in the drawer of this nightstand. Please do not hesitate to call if you need anything._

_Sincerely,_

_\- Toriel_

Toriel? That’s certainly an odd name. The friendly letter eased your tension for a moment, but as you look back to the pie, you grimace. As much as your stomach protests, you decide against eating it. The last innocent-looking thing down here tried to kill you. No use risking it being a trap. Out of curiosity, you pull open the drawer and spot a huge black box with a long antennae jutting out from the top. Peering around cautiously, you pull out the monster hunk of plastic. A piece of paper with a number on it was taped to the back, most likely the number of whoever Toriel was. Your fingers hovered over the numbers and you curse yourself for not taking the time to remember your parent’s phone numbers. You didn’t think you had to when your smartphone already had them. You angrily place the phone back in the desk.

You continue over to your backpack and quickly shuffle through the contents to make sure everything was still there. Notebook, pencils, multipurpose tool, bandages… and the clothes you were wearing. You pull out your pants, tank top and hoodie. They had all been cleaned and even some of the damage to the cloth on your hoodie had been repaired. Hastily pulling off the gown, you noticed your undergarments had gone untouched. A huge blush spread over your face at the thought that a complete stranger undressed and changed your clothes, but you shake it away. As you unfolded the hoodie, you regarded the small scrap of paper loosely taped under the “meow you doin’?” text.

_I am absolutely purr-fect! I hope you are feline better yourself. Haha, I am sorry, I could not help myself._

_\- Toriel_

You grinned a little at the puns and at a little smiley face drawn beside the name. Whoever this person was, at least they had a sense of humor. You pull the hoodie over your tank top, feeling much more comfortable back in your own clothes. Throwing your backpack over your shoulders, you warily step towards the door and place your hand on the doorknob. For some reason, you were expecting it to be locked but it opened with a slight creak. Your eyes squinted at the sudden change in light.

Reluctantly making your way down the bright corridor, you take in the decor. There were some desks with potted plants sitting atop them and a few picture frames with images of strange glowing mushrooms and snowy scenery hanging on the pale yellow walls. So far, everything in this place had a cozy, homey atmosphere. The seemingly normal decor paired with the faint smell of decadent pastries made you relax some.

Continuing along, you notice a flight of stairs to your right and a door to your left. A cool draft of air seemed to emanate from below. You were tempted to go down them or even make a run for it out the door, but the sound of humming and a delicious smell kept you moving farther in. You stopped when you entered a cute looking living room space. A large chair sat next to a warm fireplace, a small pile of books stacked next to it. You decide to call out, your shaky voice strengthening as you speak.

“Uh… Hello? Is someone there?”

The humming ceased as you heard a gentle  woman’s voice call back from a room just beyond where you were.

“Oh! Good morning, my child. I did not know you were awake. One moment please, I am preparing breakfast for you. I do hope you have recovered decently. You were in terrible shape when I found you.” the voice spoke with enthusiasm, but sounded upset at that last statement.

“Oh, uh, thank you. I’m feeling much better.” Your heart melted at the genuine concern she seemed to have. The way she referred to you as “my child” struck you as quite odd, but then again, this woman had saved your life, brought you into their home, patched you up, and was making you food. Not much room to complain.

“It is so wonderful to hear that. My apologies, I have yet to formally introduce myself.” Just then, a figure walked around the corner. “My name is Toriel. I am caretaker of the Ruins. It’s a pleasure to meet you, young one.”

You freeze. You’re not sure what you were expecting, but it certainly wasn’t that. A tall, white creature with a goat-like face, long lop ears, and small horns protruding from her head was looking back at you with a friendly smile. It began to falter as she see’s your expression of shock. You began to back away slowly.

“Oh my, I am so sorry! You are most likely unfamiliar with monsters. There is no need to fear, my child. I will not harm you.” Your heart is racing as she stands several feet away, looking at you expectantly.

“Y-you said monsters.” is all you could choke out as you stood there trembling, very ready to sprint for it the moment she makes a move.

“Indeed. The Underground is inhabited by monsters but there is no need to be afraid of me. If I wanted to harm you, would I not have done so already?” she states with a patient smile. Your tensed muscles slowly began to relax. She did have a point. That crazy flower would have offed you if she hadn’t shown up. Waves of questions flooded your mind. You awkwardly rub your arms and shuffle closer.

“Can… I ask you some questions?”

Toriel giggles sweetly. “How about we chat over some pancakes?” Your stomach agrees for you as it rumbles loudly. Your face grew hot and you forced a laugh, taking a seat at the table at the far end of the room, Toriel sitting across from you.

“What is it you wish to know, young one?”


	3. The Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You grow attached to the gentle goat woman.

You hadn’t said a word since you started eating. You’d be lying if you didn’t admit to yourself that these were the best darn pancakes you’d ever had. Toriel had even brought some syrup and chocolate chips to top them with. While you stuffed your face, Toriel waited patiently, asking the occasional question or two of her own.

“May I ask for your name, dear?”

“My name is _______. Sorry, I should have introduced myself earlier when you did, but…” your voice trailed off and you felt your face flush again. Toriel simply holds up a hand and smiles.

“It’s fine, young one. I completely understand. You were caught off guard by my appearance. I do not blame you for that.”

Swallowing one last chunk of food, you set your fork back down on the plate and stretch, letting out a satisfied sigh. Looking back up to the kind creature, it takes a moment before the words form.

“Thank you so much for everything, Toriel. I don’t know what might have happened to if you hadn’t helped me. I have no clue how I could even begin to repay you.” You couldn’t help but notice how sappy that sounded, but you meant every word of it.

“Think nothing of it, my child. I have made it my duty to care for any humans who happen to fall down here.

“Okay, well… could you explain where exactly “down here” is?”

“Certainly, but it is a bit of a long story. Do you wish to hear it?”

You rest your head gingerly on your hand and nod, eager to hear everything there is to know about this strange world beneath the mountain. Toriel seems thrilled with your interest and begins.

“Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: humans and monsters…”

You sat there drinking in every word. She described a great war that divided humans and monsters. About how humans had sealed monsters underground with a magic spell.

You raise a hand up as if you were in school and Toriel eyes you curiously. “Yes?”

“Okay, can I interject for just a moment? You said magic.”

“Indeed I did! From what I know, humans have lost most of their magical abilities but monsters are skilled in many kinds. Like healing, for instance. It’s how I was able to heal you. As much as I could, anyway.”

“Okay so normally I would have to say I don’t believe that, but after everything that's happened so far, I really can’t. Monsters and magic are real…” you say that aloud and consider how crazy it sounds. “This is a lot to take in…”

Toriel giggles before giving you a gentle expression.

“This must all be quite a shock for you, but I will be here to tell you everything you wish to know. You have the right to know since you’re going to be here for quite a while.”

You look back up at her quizzically, your eyebrows scrunched.

“What do you mean by that?”

Toriel visibly tenses, her smile fading as a solemn look takes over her face. Your heart sinks as she begins to speak in a much smaller voice.

“My child… I am so sorry, but you will not be able to leave.”

Your first reaction was panic, but she continued before you could get a word of refute in.

“Please allow me to explain. As I mentioned before, humans locked us away behind a magic barrier. If you were to leave to traverse the Underground, you would likely be attacked and suffer the same fate as those before you.”

Not sure how to react, you just sat there processing what Toriel just said. She seemed almost as upset as you. Taking a deep breath, you try to calm yourself.

“So there were others? Other humans?”

She nods, not meeting your eyes and hers looking oddly clouded. “Yes, there were. All younger than you. All but one were killed and had their souls taken by the King of monsters, King Asgore. The King wishes to use human souls in order to break the barrier and free us.”

“Wait, all but one? Did one survive? Where are they?”

Toriel lowers her head and her shoulders droop as if it pained her to even think about it. Guilt crawls up in the pit of your stomach as a few drops fell to the table from her face. You mentally scold yourself before speaking up.

“Toriel? Oh gosh, I’m sorry. You don’t have to tell me. Please don’t cry.” You feel like the scum of the Earth for making such a sweet creature cry. You noticed she had already covered her hands over her face and was letting out choked breaths. You sat there in shock, unsure of what else to say. Slowly, you stand up from your seat and walk towards the quivering woman, tenderly wrapping your arms around her shoulders. She turns and returns the embrace, her weeping less intense now.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry. I appreciate you telling me what you have so far, but you don’t need to say anything else. I understand. You were only wanting to protect me.” your voice is soft as you tried to comfort her. She chuckles through her crying and hugs you closer. You flinch at first, but tolerate it.

“No, my child. You only wanted answers. You have no reason to apologize.” After a few moments, she lets go and you do the same. She gives you a sad smile, her face damp from tears.

“I am sorry. Would it be alright if we continued this discussion some other time? I may need a moment to regain my composure.” You really didn’t want to. You wanted to figure out some way to get home, but for her sake, you nod.

“Of course. Take as much time as you need.” You both spend the rest of the day in relative silence, reading books by the fireplace.

 

~~~~~

 

You had spent about a week living with Toriel. She hadn’t mentioned anything about her break down while you talked that one morning and you didn’t ask, not wanting to upset her again. You focused the next few days on resting your ankle. Toriel explained that she used a lot of magic in order to mend the bone but it was going to be sore for a while. It did still hurt slightly, but you didn’t have to limp anymore. Finally, now that you were mostly healed, she decides to take you out to explore the Ruins. Traversing the Ruins, she explained the various puzzles. Apparently, the Underground was littered with puzzles. Thankfully, they didn’t seem all that difficult. You stuck close to the plush monster as you regarded the many other residents of the Ruins eyeing you with uncertainty and curiosity. Huge white frogs, living (and strangely alluring) blobs of gelatin, talking rocks… It was all so surreal.

Walking down a dark corridor, you recognize a light filtering down on a familiar patch of grass. This was where you encountered Flowey. You hadn’t seen or heard the flower since you were saved by Toriel, but you can’t help feeling a shiver down your spine as you recall the event and the pain you endured. Toriel, noticing your discomfort, places a hand on your shoulder, looking down to you with a soft expression as you both continue walking. Finally, you were back where you first woke up. Toriel gracefully moved forward and proceeded to kneel in the patch of yellow flowers. Her form glowed beautifully under the sunlight shining down from the hole above. A paw motioned for you to sit beside her and you did without question, giving her a questioning stare as she folds her hands over her dress. She lets out a small sigh before finally speaking.

“Young one, I know I cannot keep you here. I know how much you must miss your loved ones on the surface…” she pauses to look at you. You did miss everyone immensely and hated yourself over how much you’ve probably made them worry. Being with Toriel only made that homesickness worse because of how much she reminded you of your own mother. Toriel continues, gently caressing a few flowers in her fingers, “but you must understand that not all monsters will be as friendly.” You note that she’s fighting a pained expression, a weak smile pulled on her lips. You lean closer to her, wrapping your arms around her in a loving hug. She tenses before placing a hand on your back and looking down to you.

“It’s alright, Toriel. I understand.” You tried your best not to sound upset, but she saw right through you. Her forced smile falls as she looks back to the yellow flowers. You both sit there in silence for a few moments until Toriel breaks it.

“I wish to tell you a story. Would you like to hear it?”

You nod, pulling back from the woman and cross your legs to get more comfortable.

“As you can imagine, it can get quite dull here in the Ruins. Each and every day is about the same. I wake up, patrol for fallen humans, and repeat. Do not misunderstand, I am not unhappy, but it can get a little tiresome. This routine had gone unbroken for ages. That is, until one day, I was sitting in my study reading when suddenly I hear some peculiar knocking sounds coming from downstairs.”

You listen intently as she talks, curious. She had confessed that downstairs was the exit to the rest of the Underground and was how all the other humans left the Ruins. You debated asking her to try and leave, but you knew you wouldn’t have gotten far with your injured ankle paired with whatever monsters dwelled on the other side so you decided to wait a little while longer.

“Never before had I ever heard anything coming from beyond that door, so I decided to investigate. When I did, I heard a man’s voice. “knock knock.” It said. So naturally I reply,

“Who is there?”

“dishes.” Toriel’s voice lowers a bit in an attempt to sound more masculine.

“Dishes who?”

“dishes a very bad joke.””

You can’t help but giggle a bit and Toriel does the same, chuckling sweetly.

“Haha, yes. It truly caught me off guard. The man continued to tell jokes and I was so eager to listen. We sat there for hours telling each other jokes. It was the most fun I’d had in a long while. Eventually, he told me he had to leave so I asked him if he could come around again. We joked and chatted with one another every day after that.”

Toriel had an unreadable expression on her face. She sighs before continuing.

“A few days later, I discovered a human child had fallen into the Ruins. Their name was Frisk.”

You flinch. Frisk. Why did that name sound so familiar? It didn’t take long before it came to you. Frisk was the name of the child that went missing not too long ago. Toriel notices your sudden shift in attitude.

“I think I know who you’re talking about! Frisk was a child who went missing about a month ago. Their face was all over the news when I was on the surface. It has to be the same kid.” Toriel cocks her head slightly.

“Well, I would not doubt that. Anyway, Frisk fell down here. I welcomed them with open arms and gave them a place to stay. They went to sleep not long after I brought them in. I was so excited to have some company. Someone to share my time with… but the more I thought about it the sadder I became. As much as I longed for them to stay, to keep them safe and to care for them, they had a life back above. But I could not allow another innocent child to die. I have to keep them safe.” Toriel’s voice was beginning to crack. You place a hand on her arm and she looks up towards the sunlight shining down, her eyes closed.

“It was while the child was asleep that I heard the knocking of my nameless friend. We had our daily exchange of jokes. The man must have noticed my distress because he stopped telling jokes and says, “what’s wrong?”. I asked him that if a child ever left the Ruins that he would watch over and protect them.”

You had been sitting there silently, taking in every word. “What did he say?” Your voice is small.

“He promised he would. A few days later, the child told me that they wished to go home. At first, I attempted to dance around the subject, but they were determined to get back. I finally gave in. I had told Frisk to head to the farthest end of the Underground. It broke my heart to see them go, but something told me that they would be alright… but that was the last I had ever heard from them. And strangely, my friend from behind the door has since then stopped visiting. Oh, I do miss them. If I were to let something happen to you as well, I could never forgive myself.” Her burgundy eyes were glistening as tears began to form in them. You felt a knot in your throat.

“My child, if you do wish to leave, I will not stop you. All I ask of you is to find out if Frisk is alright and make sure they return home safely. Also, if you somehow encounter him, perhaps discover what happened to my good friend. I so dearly miss his company and jokes.” Once she finished talking, you pulled her into another hug, your eyes misty. Your voice came out hoarse, but you let the words spill from your mouth.

“I’ll find them both. I won’t leave you alone, Toriel. I promise.” Toriel sniffs and tightens the embrace, smiling hugely.

“Thank you, ______. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

You felt a strange new feeling welling in your chest. A drive to succeed. A feeling of hope. The strong desire to help Toriel. You’re filled with determination.


	4. It's Not Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Toriel part ways and you begin your trek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO QUICK NOTE  
> You may have noticed how there are less chapters now. This is because I went back and combined a few so that they would flow better. I hope that didn't cause too much confusion.
> 
> also, thank you all so much for 400+ hits and 40 kudos!! It really means a lot knowing that people are enjoying something I made. It's such a wonderful feeling. ;w;
> 
> I hope you all stick around and thanks for reading!
> 
> \- CYNDTP

The butterflies in your stomach were having a field day. So many emotions were swirling in your mind; excitement, fear, doubt, longing… Today was the day you were going to leave the Ruins. Over the past three days, Toriel discussed to you some of the things you may encounter and how to deal with them, such as a few nonviolent ways to deal with monsters or how to manage your items in a way that they don’t become too much of a burden on your journey. She had even modified one of her dresses so that you would have something comfortable to sleep in if and when you needed to.

You both were making your way down the steps not breaking the calm quiet as you followed her. The air grew colder the farther you walked until soon you reached a large door with the same peculiar symbol adorned on Toriel’s dress. Toriel halts and turns back to you. She smiles and spreads her arms outward. You embrace her one last time and she whispers.

“This is as far as I go, my child. Remember, keep walking until you reach the Capitol. The barrier is just beyond that point.” She pulls away and places a hand on your chin.

“Please stay safe.”

You nod and slowly walk towards the door, placing a hand on it. You hear Toriel sniff.

“Goodbye, ______.”

You stop for a moment and tremble, fighting the urge to turn around and comfort her, but you know it will only make it harder for the both of you.

“I... really don’t like goodbyes,” Your voice is strained, “so let’s just say… see you later?”

Toriel laughs heartily. “Yes, I like that. See you later.”

Without hesitating any more, you push through the door and it slams behind you. No going back now. Your heart was pounding as you made your way down the dark corridor, your mind abuzz with questions. What kinds of monsters would you encounter? How big was the Underground? Is Frisk even still… alive? You try your hardest to shove those thoughts out of your mind for now. The once calm quiet was now an unsettling silence; the only sounds being the rhythmic thumping of your heart and your subtle footsteps against the stone floor.

As you blindly continue onward, you soon identify the shape of another large door. Placing your hands against it, you withdraw at how cold it is. Pushing against the heavy door with all your might, it slowly swings open and you stumble out. You cautiously step forward and the door slams closed behind you. Staring in awe at the incredible change in atmosphere, you drink in the surreal scene. The cave opened up into a massive, snowy forest. Before you was a thin path cutting through the dark trees. For a moment you thought you had somehow found your way out, but when you looked up, there was no sky. A mysterious light far above you dimly illuminated the massive cavern, casting pale shadows through the forest. You compared it to sunlight on a cloudy day and figured it must have been monster magic. A sharp chill creeping up your back caused you to shiver, pulling you out of your thoughts.

 

~~~~~

 

The snow crunched softly with every nervous step. Your senses were on edge as you swept your eyes over the surroundings, trying to detect any sign of danger. You wrap your arms protectively around your chest, the hair on the back of your neck standing on end. Even though the forest seemed calm and void of life, there was still the feeling of someone, _something’s_ eyes burning on your back. With the sudden snap of a branch behind you, adrenaline begins to flow and you start jogging. You dared not look back as you rush down the snowy trail. Eventually, you reach what seems to be a wooden gate, but the bars were too far apart to stop anyone. You decide to catch your breath as you lean up against one of the bars. Your ragged breathing slows as you glimpse up to the path. Nothing there. You close your eyes and wipe away the small beads of sweat that formed on your forehead. “Probably just imagining things. Calm down, scaredy cat. There’s nothing there.” you whisper to yourself in an attempt to calm down.

“yeah buddy, you need to chill.”

Your eyes shoot open and you stiffen. A dark figure slowly makes it’s way closer to you, the sound of snow crunching with it’s every step echoing through the silence of the forest.

Nope. Nuh-uh. Bye.

You start to sprint, hastily weaving past the gate. A voice calls out, but is incomprehensible over the sound of your heart pounding in your ears. Suddenly, your body stops moving and is hoisted a few feet above the ground. Frantic, you struggle against the force but to no avail. You start to scream only for your voice to be cut off by a strange invisible force.

“woah, kid, take it easy. no need to make a scene. i’m not gonna hurt ya.” the voice from behind you sounded male. It was deep and had a slight inflection that you couldn’t place. There was a twinge of concern in his tone. You kept struggling against the force keeping you captive and soon notice the bright blue hue surrounding your form.

“hey, i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to scare you. i’ll set you down but you gotta chill out. deal?”

You stop squirming, defeated. Nodding, you’re slowly lowered back to the ground. As soon as the blue hue dissipated, you attempted to start running, but your legs wouldn’t move. Whoever this guy was, he was intent on not letting you run off again. A deep chuckle reverberates.

“aw, c’mon. don’t give me the cold shoulder. like i told ya, i’m not gonna hurt ya. snow joke.”

Your tension eases a little at the puns and can’t help but let a small giggle escape. You let out a shaky breath before casually turning around. When you registered what was standing there, you reflexively shudder. It was a skeleton about as tall as you, give or take an inch. He wore a thick blue jacket, fur lining the hood and his hands neatly tucked into the pockets, a pair or what appeared to be black gym shorts, and… pink fuzzy slippers? Your eyes found their way to his face where a huge grin was plastered. Tiny pricks of white light seemed to serve as pupils, hovering in his dark eye sockets. Unlike a usual human skeleton, his skull was relatively round, smooth and strangely expressive despite his lack of features.

“you okay pal? heh, ya like what ya see or something?”

What? Oh. You were staring. Your face immediately heats up and you look down, jumbled words of apology sputtering from your lips.

“Oh geez. S-sorry. You just, uh, kinda caught me off guard.” The skeleton chuckles softly.

“heh, it’s fine. no skin off my bones. don’t look so rattled.”

You snort, a small smile perking up on your face. He smirks at your reaction and takes another step forward.

“i think we started off on the wrong foot. my name is sans. and you are?”

“My name is ______. It’s nice to meet you.”

“pleasure’s all mine.” He promptly pulls out a hand from his pocket and extends it to you. You step back slightly at the gesture and he cocks his head, an amused expression on his face.

“come on. what’s a better way to greet a new pal then with a handshake? don’t worry, i won’t bite.” He winks. You think for a moment before cautiously reaching out and grabbing his hand-

_THPPTPHTPHPHHphhhh!_

You flush, pulling away in surprize. Sans’ grin was even bigger than before, small snorts erupting into bellowing laughter. He was leaning back on the verge of falling over from cackling so hard.

“heheheh, oh man. the ol’ whoopie cushion in the hand trick. classic. hehehe, that look on your face is priceless, holy shit.”

At first you only stood there with an unamused frown, but his laughter was contagious and you began laughing along. Sans pretends to wipe a tear from his eye socket and places his hands back in his pockets, letting out a breath.

“well, now that we got the formalities outta the way, howzabout we get you out of the cold? the way you’re shivering, you must be chilled to the bone.”

You hadn’t even noticed how much you quaking or the numbness in your fingers until Sans mentioned it.

“if you want, i could take you back to town. there’s some nice places to warm up and relax. what do ya think?”

Sans shuffles awkwardly waiting for your response. Go with him? It was freezing out here and you were kind of mentally exhausted, but you still don’t quite trust him. After all, he did just come out of nowhere and use magic on you. However, he didn’t seem to want to hurt you and knows way more about this place. Not wanting to risk getting lost or encountering another monster, you finally nod slowly. Sans perks up, the lights in his eyes glowing brighter.

“alright, cool. here, take my hand. i know a shortcut.”

He pulls a hand out of his pockets and you eye him suspiciously. Seriously? Was this just an excuse to hold your hand? You could just follow him. But not wanting to seem rude, you reach out and grab hold. He pulls you closer and you stiffen.

“okay, close your eyes and hang on tight.” Before you could even react, your eyes squeeze shut feel like you’re falling.


	5. Snowdin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans shows you the town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow what a creative chapter name *sarcasm*  
> I might go back and extend this chapter later since it's kinda uneventful and short. ;-;

There was nothing but blackness as you clenched your arms tightly around the skeleton, the world whirring around you. Whispers and static rang in your ears causing you to gasp and hold Sans’s arm tighter. For a split second, you thought for sure you heard the sound of a whimper or crying. The plummeting feeling stopped and your feet touch solid ground. You slowly open your eyes back up still in a state of dismay. As you begin to calm down, you notice you were in a completely different area. The trees were gone and before you was a sign the read “Welcome to Snowdin!”, decorated with glowing lights of various colors. Just beyond that were many buildings all covered with snow. Warm yellow light spilled from the windows of a cabin a few steps ahead with a sign that read “Shop” and another reading “Inn” right beside it. Sans fake coughs and nudges you lightly.

“pal, you can let go now... not that i’m complaining or anything.”

You untwine your arms from his and hastily reel back, your face reddening once more, but you didn’t care. Your heart was pounding in your chest as the few seconds of sinister sounds echoed through your mind. Sans’s smug expression fell slightly into one of worry, his brow bones furrowing and his grin lower.

“hey what’s wrong? i was ulna joking with ya, kid.”

You look back to him and take a deep breath, trying to silence the resounding static in your mind. You make a mental note to ask Sans about that later if you had the time.

“What happened? Where are we?”

“like i said, i knew a shortcut. it would have taken a while to walk here, so i teleported us. sorry, i probably should have warned you.” He avoids your eyes, rubbing the back of his skull nervously. “and to answer your second question, this is snowdin. my bro and i live at the far end of town. actually, i think my bro would be really excited to meetcha if you wanna stop by.”

You cross your arms and bite your lip. Well, on one hand, it would be a safe place to warm up and plan the journey ahead. The Inn was out of the question since you didn’t have any money. But on the other hand, you can’t keep getting distracted. You were determined to keep your promise to Toriel. You weighed your options. If you tried running off, who knows what you’d run into. At least if you stick around Sans, you probably wouldn’t get attacked or lost. Maybe his brother would be able to help you as well. There more friends you made, the better your chances of getting home, right? You awkwardly shuffle closer and look back up to him.

“I, uh, appreciate you bringing me here. Of course I’ll meet your brother. I mean, it’s the least I can do.”

Sans seemed pleased with your reply, his shoulders falling slightly and his permanent grin hitching higher. He almost looked as if he were relieved hearing you say that. 

“sweet, thanks. paps has been kinda down lately so meeting you might just help bring him outta his funk.” He began walking passed you and down the snowy path ahead, pulling a boney hand out of his pocket and waving it forward. “c’mon, i’ll show ya ‘round town.”

You followed closely behind your skeleton guide as you gradually made your way through the little settlement. The warm colors of the buildings contrasting with the blues and whites of the surroundings made it feel incredibly cozy and inviting. So far, you’d identified a general store, an inn, a couple houses here and there, and what appeared to be a Christmas tree. Did monsters celebrate Christmas? Considering the fact that it was the beginning of spring when you fell, it was either just to suit the wintery surroundings or no one cared enough to take it down. As you walked farther into town, you finally see more monsters. However, none of them looked anything like you imagined. Most of them resembled everyday animals. Cute, cuddly animals. Somehow Sans was the most threatening thing you’d seen down here, and even he was pretty tame in appearance. You hoped he would be able to hold onto that title. 

Peering around, you noticed that quite a few monsters were staring at you, whispering amongst themselves. You shrunk, feeling incredibly vulnerable all of a sudden as you quicken your pace to close some of the distance between you and Sans. He turns his head back to you noticing your edginess.

“somethin’ wrong?”

“Um… w-why are they staring at me like that?” Your gaze returns to the various creatures eyeing you from afar. Sans slows his pace to meet your side, placing a hand over your back in a comforting pat before quickly returning it to it’s place in his jacket.

“don’t worry about them. they’re just curious is all. it’s not everyday that a human falls into the underground, ya know.”

Oh yeah. That makes sense. You then remember what Toriel had told you about the King taking the souls of the other humans who fell, a knot forming in your stomach. Would any of these monsters try and do the same? Thinking over this, Sans did come out of nowhere and take you here. For all you know, he could just be leading you to an ambush… But if he wanted to take your soul, he could have done it fairly easily back in the woods. His powers had left you completely defenseless. You then look over to realize Sans had been watching you.

“you sure you’re okay?”

You were probably over thinking things. Then again, you are in an underground cave filled with magical monsters. You had every right to be wary. You look back to him and try your best to act casual, but before you can respond, he speaks in a low, calm tone.

“listen pal, if you’re worried about someone trying attack you or something, you’re just stressing out over nothin’. i won’t let that happen, and that’s no fibula.”

You ease up a bit and grin, as always a sucker for wordplay. Feeling a little more confident about the situation, you both keep walking. You pass by larger building with a bright neon sign reading “Grillby’s”. There was an amazing smell coming from it as you passed and realized it must have been a restaurant of some kind. You were tempted to ask Sans to stop so you could grab something to eat, but then remembered you didn’t have any money. That, and asking him for money seemed a little more than rude. You chortled a little bit when you see the sign on the next building.

“Librarby? Is that supposed to say ‘library’?”

“heh yeah. that sign has always been misspelled. no one ever decided to take it down. if you ask me, it gives the place a kind of charm, ya know?”

It wasn’t too long after he spoke before he stops and you gander at the building before you. It was a rather large cabin and to the right of it were two mailboxes, one labeled “Sans” overflowing with countless papers and the other, seemingly empty box labeled “Papyrus”. Wait, Papyrus? Like paper or the font? Now that you were thinking of fonts, you realize the skeleton in front of you is a comical guy named Sans.  _ Comic Sans _ . Okay, there's no way that's a coincidence. For a moment you wondered if all skeletons had fonts for names, assuming his brother is one too. Wait, is that racist? Probably.

“welp here we are. pretty nice, right?” He starts heading for the door and you follow suit, a mix of curiosity and concern now prickling in your mind. Maybe this was a bad idea. You agreed to visit a complete stranger’s house in hopes that you wouldn’t be killed if you did. He pulls out a key from his jacket and promptly unlocks the door. It opens, light and a comfortable warmth spilling out as Sans steps though. You hesitate, standing just outside as Sans turns and waves you in. 

“it’s fine, buddy. come on in.”


	6. A Totally Relaxing Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You visit the skelebros and have a great time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh em goodness  
> 675 hits, 59 kudos and 10 bookmarks!! That's so awesome! I'm so incredibly happy that you all are enjoying it. ;w;  
> Also, your comments really inspire me. Thanks for everything!

Deciding you have nowhere else to go, you step through the door and Sans closes it behind you. Scanning the room, you notice how domestic it was. The front door entered into a large living space, a green couch pushed against the front wall angled toward a decently sized flat screen TV. To the left of that were some stairs and a few feet in front of you was what appeared to an entrance to a kitchen, but the light was off making it hard to tell. The walls were painted burgundy and the carpet zig zagged in a purple and blue pattern.

“okay so make yourself at home, i guess. i’m gonna go get my brother. he’s probably holed up in his room. be back in a sec.”

You nod and Sans makes his way up the stairs and begins knocking on a door before entering, closing it back behind him. You stand there, unsure of what to do in the meantime. You begin to wander about the room and examine some interesting objects placed around. Near the door was a smooth stone that appeared to be covered in sprinkles. You then notice a white sock covered in a series of sticky notes with a humorous exchange you guessed to be Sans and his brother. The handwriting was strikingly similar to some certain fonts you knew of. Next you begin reading a joke book that quickly turns into a scramble of words and equations related to quantum physics… now more jokes… now more equations..?

Suddenly, a large yell booms from upstairs followed by the slam of a door. Standing at the top of the stairs was a much taller, leaner skeleton. In what felt like a split second, you were quickly swept up into a tight, uncomfortable hug. The skeleton’s ribs dug into your chest as you struggled under the sudden embrace. Anxiety crept up your back. You never did like being touched by anyone, let alone a stranger. Just as quickly as it started, the skeleton set you back down and you stumbled trying to regain your composure.

“OH MY GOODNESS, SANS WAS TELLING THE TRUTH! WE REALLY DO HAVE A HUMAN VISITOR! THIS IS SO EXCITING!”

His voice was incredibly loud and boisterous, the complete opposite of Sans. The enthusiastic creature stood there happily giggling with his hands on his hip bones. Now that he was closer, you got a better look at him. He wore a red scarf around his neck, a large white t-shirt with the words “COOL DUDE” written on it crudely in black marker, a pair of blue jean shorts and red tennis shoes. His face was much more detailed in terms of anatomy, but still had that same expressive, smooth look that Sans had. You were trying to figure out how to respond to the abstract situation, your arms crossed against your torso defensively.

“OH, I’M SORRY HUMAN. I DIDN’T HURT YOU DID I?” He seemed to read you and backed away a bit, obviously upset with himself for being so aggressive in his greeting. You stand a little taller and wave your hands in an attempt to calm him.

“O-oh, I’m okay. You just startled me is all.” You tried your best to sound nonchalant, but your voice was still shaky from anxiety and the speed at which things were happening. Just then, you heard footsteps coming from the stairs and see Sans making his way down. He eyed you both curiously as you stood there before the towering skeleton’s voice thunders once more.

“WELL IT IS NICE TO MEET YOU, HUMAN. I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS!” Papyrus then lifts a hand to his ribs, posing dramatically with his scarf flapping behind him despite the fact you were indoors.

“Hi. Nice to meet you too. My name is _______.”

Sans steps next to his brother and chimes in, an unusual brightness to the pinpricks in his eyes.

“ya know paps, ______ here is probably hungry. you wanna cook us up something for lunch?”

The mention of food reminded you how you hadn’t ate since you left Toriel, your stomach letting out a low rumble and you clench your belly in embarrassment. His teeth hitched into what you guessed to be a tremendous grin and he stood straighter.

“NYEH HEH! FEAR NOT, HUMAN! FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL COOK YOU THE TASTIEST MEAL YOU HAVE EVER EATEN!” He’s still laughing excitedly as he runs towards the room you assumed to be the kitchen. What just happened? You glance back over to Sans who has a sly grin on his face as he gives a little shrug.

“sorry for putting ya on the spot like that.” his expression turns softer for a moment. “it’s just that i haven’t seen paps that excited in a while. recently he had just been moping around and it was making me worried but you visiting seems to have already helped a ton. so, uh, thanks for letting me drag you along.”

You felt a certain sympathy for Sans as he spoke. If Austin started acting like that, you’d worry too and do all could to try and bring him out of it. Your heart ached as your mind began to drift back to your family back above. Are they still looking for you? What could they be doing right now? You tried shoving those thoughts away as you fight the homesickness that was starting to wash over you. Just then Sans steps closer and nudges your arm with an elbow, concern lacing his voice.

“hey, chin up. why don’t you take a load off and relax?”

With a sigh, you both make your way over to the couch. Pulling off your backpack, you lean it beside your legs on the floor and you plop down on one end, tucking your hands together. Sans sits on the other side and leans forward, resting his weight on his knees. There's loud clanging that calls both of your attentions to the kitchen. Sans just chuckles lowly.

“heh, i hope ya like pasta.” He pauses for a moment and you look back to him, his expression blank as the pinpricks of light in his sockets bore into you. “so... what’s your story? how’d you end up down here anyway?”

“There’s not much to tell really. Just kind of went on a hike and made a misstep.” You looked down to your hands sitting in your lap to avoid his gaze, your fingers absentmindedly tapping your knees.

“oh come on. there’s gotta be more to it than that, right?” He continued egging you on. Why did he care? Perhaps he was just trying to make conversation, but you let out a tense huff and replied bluntly.

“I’d rather not talk about this with someone I’ve hardly met. I’m sorry.”

“eh, alright. i won’t make you tell me if you’re not comfortable with it.” His reply was so matter-of-fact. You were expecting him to keep trying to pry. Looking back up, he’s reclining with his legs crossed and arms folded behind his head, incredibly relaxed. He peered over and sighed through his teeth.

“everyone has their boundaries, buddy. nothin’ wrong with that.” A minute passes in silence when the loud banging from the kitchen starts up again. Sans suddenly reaches in his jacket pocket and pulls out a remote control. Wait, why did he have that in there? He chuckles a bit at your bewildered expression.

“wanna watch some tv?”

Monster television. Now that sounds interesting. You nod and Sans flips it on. Upbeat music immediately drowns out the clatter of pots and on the screen was a rectangular robot in a chef’s hat stirring something together in a bowl. It had a very bombastic voice that you noted carried a very slight lisp. You stared intently at the screen for a while watching the energetic machine bake an impressive cake. This went on for about a half an hour before your attention started to wander elsewhere, leaning down to your backpack and pulling out a notebook and a pencil. Mapping out the town out in your mind, you begin sketching the placement each building you saw on your walk here. If you were going to try and make your way to the Capitol, you’d need to know your way around. Sans hears your shuffling and lazily swivels his head back toward you, the lights in his sockets flickering with interest.

“whatchya got there?”

“Oh, just a notepad.” you reply, your eyes glued to the paper as you worked. You felt the cushions beside you shift slightly.

“oh hey, you're drawing snowdin. neat.” Sans sounded closer than before. Just then, you felt the weight of your backpack lighten from against your legs.

“what else ya got in here? mind if i take a look?”

“Uh yeah, go ahead. There's just some supplies and junk.” you respond, still absorbed in drawing your map. The backpack is pulled up beside you. You hear rummaging for a few seconds until the familiar smell of your favorite potato chips wafts to your nose.

“woah. is this human food?”

“Mmhm.”

“can i try one?”

“Go for it.”

Crunch crunch. Without missing a beat, you reach for the bag and grab a couple for yourself as you erase a few unsightly pencil smears.

“huh, not bad.” He continues shuffling, still crunching on your chips. A few moments of silence pass until you feel a peculiar, yet familiar tingling feeling at your side.

“hey pally, what are ya doin’ with these?”

His voice was uncharacteristically flat and serious. You set the notebook on your lap and look over, immediately tensing. Eye sockets dark and empty, grin painfully forced, and emitting a threatening vibe, Sans held in one hand the purple gown Toriel gave you and in the other was your multipurpose tool fixed so that the knife was outward. His sudden shift in attitude left you frozen in confusion and fear.

“well? i asked you a question. it would be knife to hear an ans-”

There's a boney hand gripping your shoulder. Your head shoots up to see Papyrus wearing an apron with the phrase “Bone appetit!” on it, red splotches staining the fabric.

“LUNCH IS FINISHED! SORRY FOR THE WAIT. COME HUMAN, YOU MUST BE STARVED!”

 

~~~~~~

 

Papyrus was completely oblivious to the tension crackling in the air as he motions you towards the kitchen. Sans says nothing, his expression blank as he watched you stand up. You followed the taller skeleton, glancing over your shoulder to see Sans pocketing the knife and keeping pace behind, his stare burning on your back. You gulp down the lump forming in your throat, sweat forming on the back of your neck. What had you done wrong?

As soon as you enter the kitchen, your nose is assaulted with various smells, none of which are pleasant. Taking a moment to observe, the first thing that catches your eye is a dining room table at the center of the tiled floor. Sitting atop were cups of water and three plates of what looked like spaghetti. The counters against the walls were messy with tomato sauce and the occasional stray noodle. Papyrus pulls out one of the chairs and looks to you expectantly. You quietly thank him for the gesture and he smiles, sitting in his own seat. Sans sits across from you, his face back to it’s calm expression, but as he looked over to you the light in his eyes burned intensely as if a silent threat that he wasn’t done with you. You look down at the plate in front of you in an attempt to avoid Sans’s leer. Now that you were closer, it looked worse. There was somehow a combination of both overcooked and undercooked noodles, the sauce looked watery, and it had an overwhelming scent of spices. You grimace to yourself.

“WHAT’S WRONG, HUMAN? DO YOU NOT LIKE SPAGHETTI?” Papyrus is talking with noodles hanging from his teeth. For a moment, you remembered Sans eating your chips. How did skeletons eat? Did they even need to eat? Papyrus was beginning to look crestfallen, his brow bones furrowing. Heartstrings are being tugged. Oh man, he looks like a sad puppy. Sans shoots you a look from across the table.

“Ooh geez, not at all! I love spaghetti. I’m just admiring the wonderful presentation. It looks delicious.” You hastily try and turn the situation around. Papyrus’s grin and chipper attitude returns immediately.

“OH, OF COURSE! THEN BY ALL MEANS, FEEL FREE TO FEAST YOUR EYES! THEN YOU CAN FEAST YOUR MOUTH! NYEH HEH!”

Sans is still staring, although less intensely now. You slowly reach for your fork and scoop up a clump of noodles. You shovel it into your mouth and chew hastily to get it down as fast as possible. To be honest, it wasn’t as bad as you were expecting, but it still wasn’t good. They both watched as you uncouthly scarfed down the noodles. You’d never felt so uncomfortable. You just wanted this visit to end so you could finally start making some progress trying to find Frisk and getting to the Capitol. Papyrus was beaming, both his and Sans’s plates already empty. Wait, you didn’t even see Sans pick up his fork. Where’d it go? Your plate was finally empty as well. You clenched your stomach, feeling queasy.

“WOWIE HUMAN! YOU REALLY MUST LIKE MY COOKING! WELL, FEAR NOT! THE GREAT PAPYRUS MADE PLENTY IF YOU WANT SECONDS!”

You nearly heaved at the thought. Forcing a smile, you lean back in your chair.

“I think I'll need to control myself. As amazing as it is, I don't want to eat too much all at once. Haha…”

“GOOD POINT! IN THE MEANTIME, I WILL GO TAKE CARE OF THESE DISHES. SANS, ARE YOU DONE AS WELL?” Papyrus looks toward his brother as he stacks plates and gathers the silverware. Sans gives a sly grin.

“yeah, thanks bro. i don't think it would be pasta-ble for me to eat another bite.” Sans retorts with a wink. If it weren't for the dread clouding your mind, you would have giggled. Papyrus groans, but you can tell he's hiding the faintest of smiles.

“WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS. NO PUNS AT THE TABLE! UGH…” Papyrus snatches up Sans’s plate and storms over to an incredibly tall sink. Orange magic envelopes the dishes and they slowly rise up. Sans pulls his chair out and casually wanders toward the living room. Suddenly, you feel that heaviness around your form and you're pulled out of your seat, sloppily landing on your feet. Sans beckons you to follow and you do, feeling as though you don't really have a choice anymore.

“me and ______ are gonna go chat for a little, alright paps?”

“ALRIGHT! JUST DON'T SCARE HER OFF WITH YOUR AWFUL PUNS. I WANT TO SHOW HER SOME PUZZLES BEFORE SHE DECIDES TO LEAVE!” Papyrus calls back from the kitchen.

Leading you back to the couch, you sit, every muscle in your body tensed. Sans sits on the cushion beside you, way closer than you’d like. He sighs, the pinpricks of light in his sockets dim.

“alright. let's chat.”


	7. That's Very Puzzling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans makes you very uncomfortable and Papyrus is a sweetheart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eep, finally got this one done. Sorry, been kinda busy lately. Hope you enjoy the chapter! 
> 
> Hehehe I love making things overly vague. >:D
> 
> Also... Thank you so much for the 80+ kudos! Holy cow, I didn't expect to get such positive feedback for this trash! xD

You just sit there, unblinking as the skeleton stares through you for an agonizing few seconds. What was he thinking? A few droplets of sweat started to form on your forehead. Sans finally starts to laugh heartily, his expression much looser. 

“calm down, pal. anyone who puts up with my papyrus’s cooking and doesn’t hurl is cool in my book. my statement from before still stands. i ain’t gonna hurt ya. i just wanna ask you a few things. alright?”

This monster continued to confuse you. Why the heck did he have to give you the stinkeye then? You don’t say anything, only nodding stiffly. Sans shoves his hand into his pocket and pulls out the tool he confiscated, twirling it around a little in his phalanges.

“okay. first off, what’s this for?”

You fight the urge to give him an incredulous look. “That’s a multipurpose tool. It’s got useful stuff on it like screwdrivers, a bottle opener, and a bunch of other junk. It’s just in case I ever need any of those things.” Sans messes with it for a moment, pulling out each attachment before replacing them again.

“uh huh. that’s fine i guess. the knife had me a little concerned, ya know?”

“Really? It’s just a little pocket knife. It’s not all  _ that  _ dangerous. Besides, I’d only ever use that if I needed to.” That was a bit of a bluff. You’d probably not even use it if you were being attacked or mugged. You were too gentle in general and will much rather talk out a conflict. You hated the thought of ever fighting someone, whether you had to or not. Sans gave you another hard stare and you wondered if you shouldn’t have argued.

“hm. alright then. just try not to feel the need to use it.” He then holds it out to you and you grab it, pocketing it in your sweatpants. Next, he pulls out of your bag the gown and holds it up so that the emblem was facing you.

“so what i’m wonderin’ is where you got this. i have a hard time believing you had this on you when you fell, considering the delta rune. mind explaining?” Your brows scrunched. Delta Rune?

“Uh, what’s a Delta Rune?”

“you’re kiddin’, right?” He sounds surprised.

“No, I’m not. I got that from Toriel of the Ruins. She gave it to me right before I met you.”

Sans seemed to stiffen for a moment, lost in thought for a few seconds before lowering the gown and speaking again.

“well, to put it simply, the delta rune is the symbol of the monster kingdom.”

“Oh. I had no idea. I’d seen it quite a few times, but she never told me what it meant.”

Images of the door slamming behind you as you left the Ruins flashed into your memory. The thought that Toriel could be waiting just beyond that door right now for one of the few friends she had made your heart sink but renewed your drive to help her. That was when you begin to piece something together. Your hands clench into fists as the gears in your mind turn. You met him right outside the exit to the Ruins and he was a joker. It might be a stretch, but could he…?

“Hey, Sans?”

“uh, yeah?”

“Do you happen to like knock-knock jokes?”

“knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“juno.”

“Juno who?”

“juno i do.”

You giggle a little. Well, it’s worth a shot to ask. You take a deep breath, tensing a bit.

“Do you know if any other humans exited the Ruins recently?”

His eyes dimmed and his grin fell slightly, looking somewhat surprised.

“... why do you ask? do you know where they are?”

Okay, so he does know who you’re talking about.

“Where’s Frisk?” The name slipped out. The lights from his eyes disappear completely and his voice lowers to a dangerous tone.

“h o w  d o  y o u  k n o w  t h a t  n a m e?”

This is getting us nowhere. Your whole body quakes and you attempt to finally open up, your voice cracking from fear.

“A-are you the one who was knocking on the door back in the woods? There was a woman behind it. Her name is Toriel. She u-used to joke with and talk to someone through the door.” The pupils in his sockets return, dim. “She asked the person to protect any human that left that door.” Your voice got stronger as you quietly finished. “... Was that you, Sans?”

He’s looking down.

“... buddy, i’ll tell ya this. yeah, i used to chat with someone from behind a door. and yeah, i made that promise…”

He pauses and looks back up to you, his brow bones scrunched with a sullen expression, looking like he had something else to say but was holding back.

“Why’d you stop?”

“because i wasn’t able to keep that promise.”

Part of you was enraged at Sans for leaving Toriel without even a simple explanation and yet you couldn’t stay angry when you see the sheer anguish on his face. He wasn’t looking at you but instead off into space apparently lost in thought. 

“... Sans? What happened to Frisk?”

He sighs and looks back to you, the lights in his eyes almost nonexistent. He’s about to speak but before he does, Papyrus struts into the room, the dirtied apron in one of his gloved hands.

“I HAVE FINISHED CLEANING UP! NOW THEN HUMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO SOME PUZZLES WITH US?” He looks hopeful. Sans was back to his signature grin, not one sign of the distress he expressed only seconds ago. He’s pretty good at hiding his emotions, it seems. You smile and nod, trying to repress the feelings of confusion and anger for the sake of the brother.

“Sure. I guess so. What kind of puzzles did you have in mind?” 

Papyrus’s scarf begins to defy the laws of physics and flow heroically once again as he places a hand to his chest.

“I HAVE THE PERFECT IDEA! HOW ABOUT I GO RECALIBRATE THE PUZZLES OUTSIDE OF SNOWDIN FOR YOU TO DO?”

Just then, Sans stands up from the couch.

“uh, not to rain on your parade or anything paps, but one of the reasons she came here was to get outta the cold. maybe we could chill here and do somethin’?” Sans shrugs. Papyrus seemed delighted with the proposal.

“OH, I’M SORRY HUMAN! WOULD YOU PREFER TO STAY HERE INSTEAD? I SUPPOSE IT IS QUITE CHILLY OUT THERE.”

You were beginning to get a little annoyed. You would greatly prefer to be talking with Sans about Frisk, but not wanting to seem rude or unappreciative of their hospitality, you nod. Papyrus beams and speeds up the stairs into his room. A thunderous clatter sounds before Papyrus steps back down balancing a tower of small boxes in his arms. He drops them in the floor before you. They were jigsaw puzzles all varying in difficulty. You cringe.

“NYEH HEH HEH! LET’S GET STARTED THEN!”

 

~~~~~~

 

Since you were underground and there were no clocks in sight, you had no idea how long you sat in the floor putting together jigsaw puzzles with Papyrus. Sans had fallen asleep against the couch not long after you began. You so desperately wanted to bail but Papyrus’s child-like demeanor and appreciation for your company filled you with the determination to endure the boredom. The magical light that illuminated the caverns had faded outside the window which you assumed meant it was getting late. Papyrus didn’t speak once as he worked, only you breaking the silence to ask the occasional harmless question about himself or Sans. 

“So… what do you guys do for work down here?”

“WELL, MY LAZY BONES BROTHER AND I WORK AS SENTIRES IN SNOWDIN. WE WATCH OUT FOR AND CAPTURE HUMANS! BUT, TO BE HONEST… THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS BEEN SLACKING A LITTLE BIT TOO.” He sounds wistful. Wait, capture humans? Is that why Sans insisted you to go with him? You tensed at the idea that they might not let you leave. Just then, you hear a huge, high pitched yawn escape Papyrus’s mouth. 

“HAH... HUMAN, I AM SO SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU, BUT THE FUN MUST END HERE. IT IS GETTING RATHER LATE.” 

You silently rejoice to yourself.

“It’s okay Papyrus. Thanks for such a great time.”

He stands up and stretches. ‘What exactly is he stretching?’ you think. He reaches a hand down and helps you to your feet.

“Well, it was nice meeting you. I guess I’ll be going now. Lemme just grab my backpack…”

Papyrus places a hand firmly on your shoulder.

“WHAT? I’M SORRY HUMAN BUT YOU MUST BE MISTAKEN. YOU SHALL BE STAYING HERE UNTIL UNDYNE COMES TO TAKE YOU TO THE CAPITOL!”

Oh no. Who was Undyne? Given the fact that he mentioned his job was capturing humans, you assumed they had something to do with the King wanting to collect human souls. You begin to squirm away from his grasp. Papyrus seemed distressed by this, his brows furrowing in worry.

“No! Let go of me!”

“W-WAIT! YOU MISUNDERSTAND! PLEASE CALM DOWN, HUMAN. OUR JOB IS ONLY TO BRING YOU TO ASGORE! HE WISHES TO SPEAK WITH ANY HUMANS WHO FALL DOWN HERE. THERE IS NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF! THE KING IS A VERY NICE MONSTER!” Papyrus is frantically trying to get you to calm down. Sans hears the sudden yelling and his eyes burst open, a bright blue glow emanating from his left pupil and his body tensed, ready for action.

“what? what’s happening?”

You look over to him with pleading eyes as you’re slowing backing away to the door. The glow disappears and he relaxes a little.

“woah, what’s goin’ on?”

Papyrus stood there incredibly nervous, his hands tucked to his sternum.

“I WAS GOING TO TAKE THE HUMAN TO THE SHED TO REST FOR THE NIGHT AND I SCARED HER. I’M SO SORRY, HUMAN! PLEASE CALM DOWN…”

Sans then looks back to you and takes a small step forward, his hands raised slightly in a display of peace.

“easy kid. look, we ain’t gonna let asgore near you, but it probably would be a good idea to stick around us at least for a little while.”

You flinch as he approaches. Suddenly, his voice gets quiet.

“listen. i can’t break that old lady’s promise again. i could never get over it. so please, just chill here for a bit?”

He was talking about Toriel. Your tension eases a little and you think for a moment. 

“Fine, on one condition. You have to help me and give me answers. Deal?” You shakily reach a hand out. Sans thinks for a moment before sighing, his hand reaching for yours and you exchange a quick shake.

“deal.”


	8. Blurred Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get a restful night's sleep. Not really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? An update one day after the last? Oh how I spoil you. <3  
> You people have been so supportive! Almost 100 Kudos and nearly 1,000 hits? Might as well celebrate with another chapter. 
> 
> Sorry that it's a little short. The next chapter will be much longer, I promise. c:
> 
> ... and no, the chapter title has nothing to do with the Robin Thicke song lmao.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> \- CYNDTP

You sat on the couch waiting for Sans to return. Apparently Papyrus has a hard time getting to sleep without a bedtime story. You found Sans’s actions towards his brother endearing and made you wish you did more with Austin when you had the chance. Occasionally you'd play video games or watch your favorite TV shows together, but other than that, you'd normally keep to yourselves. Shoot, you were making yourself sad again. 

To your relief, you notice Sans making his way back down the stairs. He casually walks up and yawns.

“okay so i know you wanted to talk some more, but i’m bone tired. ya think we could postpone this till tomorrow?”

You crossed your arms and raise a brow. Sans takes the hint and groans.

“buddy, i’ve have a long day. i swear i’ll make it up to ya in the morning.”

“Yeah, just like how you kept your promise to Toriel, right?” You retort, accidentally letting your annoyance finally express itself. It wasn’t long until you start to regret saying that as Sans’s expression looks hurt. ‘Put a filter on that mouth! You have no idea what he’s been through.’ your conscience scolds before you immediately give him an apologetic look and words spew from your mouth.

“I-I’m so sorry. I just… I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean-”

“it’s fine. tibia honest, i kinda deserved that. don’t worry about it.” His grin returns and he winks playfully. You still can’t help but feel awful. You awkwardly twiddle your fingers as you then remember something.

“Uh... Papyrus said something about having me sleep in a shed?”

Sans chuckles and waves a hand in dismissal.

“naa, i got a better idea. you can crash in my bed.”

Woah man. That was a little forward. Your face heats up and Sans laughs at your reflex, a smug grin plastering his skull.

“hehehe oh no, not  _ with  _ me. i can just sleep on the couch. buuuut, if you’re feeling bonely, i wouldn’t mind.”

You scowl, your face most likely tomato red. Geez, why did you have to make assumptions like that? You breathe away the blush and look back to him.

“I would be okay taking the couch. I don’t mind.”

“it’s no problem, pal. you’re our guest so you get first pick. just lemme go get my bed fixed up for ya. if you still want to sleep on the couch after that, i won’t force ya.”

“Uh… alright, I guess. Thanks.”

“i’ll only be a sec.”

And with that, he vanishes. You sit silently as you wait, grabbing your backpack in preparation. A few minutes later, he poofs back into the room.

“alright, follow me.”

You nod and he leads you up the stairs and passed Papyrus’s room. The door creaks open and you look inside. It’s fairly dark, the only light coming from a small lamp sitting atop a desk littered with papers. You step inside and cringe. A pile of socks sat against the wall, dirty clothes were strewn about, an invisible force was creating a swirling trash vortex at the corner of the room and what seemed completely out of place sat a high-tech treadmill smack dab in the center of the floor. Your eyes finally caught sight of the bed. The blanket was roughly straightened out over it and the single pillow had a couple questionable stains. Well to be fair, your room wasn’t exactly the cleanest either, but at least it was chaos you recognized. You’re trying your best not to grimace. 

“now it’s not all that fancy, but i just picked up a bit and set out some fresh sheets and a clean blanket. so, uh, what’s your pick?”

Well, other than the smell and the trash tornado, it wasn’t too terrible. The bed did look much more comfortable than the lumpy couch. You considered for a moment.

“Are you sure you’re okay with me staying up here?”

Sans eyes you quizzically before giving a soft chuckle.

“i mean, if i wasn’t okay with it, i wouldn’t have offered. but don’t worry about me. half the time i end up sleeping on the couch anyway. no big deal.”

“Well… In that case, I'm gonna get changed so, uh…”

“oh, right. i’ll be downstairs if ya need anything. okay?”

“Gotchya. Thanks.”

“g’nite ______.”

“Goodnight.”

Sans quietly closes the door behind him as he exits, leaving you by yourself for what feels like the first time in ages. You let out a heavy sigh as you unzip your bag and pull out your gown. As you begin to undress, you quickly pull your tank top back down once you realized the door was unlocked. You've had plenty of times where people have just barged in on you while you were trying to do something that required privacy so you had become rather particular about always locking doors beforehand. 

Click! You turn the lock with a swift flick of the wrist.

With the door secured, you proceeded to change. After peeling off the layers of clothes, you fold and neatly place them back in your bag. You noticed how they stink of sweat which was no surprise considering the day you'd had. Toriel had washed everything you had before you left, but they were going to need to be cleaned again soon. Maybe you could somehow come across some money and buy some new ones. At least you wouldn't have to wear the same thing everyday. 

You lean your bag against the bed and slowly climb in. It creaked under your weight as you settled under the covers. The sheets smelled faintly of ketchup and rubber; an odd, and yet somehow comforting scent. As you lay, peculiar static hummed in your ears, promptly lulling you into a deep rest.

 

~~~~~~

 

There was nothing but inky blackness that went on for infinity. You look up and then down. Just emptiness. No sights, sounds, or senses of any variant. The lack of substance left you feeling blind.

“What is this place?” You say aloud in bewilderment. Your voice seemed to be absorbed into the nothingness, sounding as if you were trying to speak with cloth over your mouth. You begin to walk to nowhere in particular, the lack of direction making it seem as though you weren’t even moving. As you wandered aimlessly, the same sound of static slowly buzzed in your ears, gradually getting louder and louder. You freeze in place yet the noise continues to increase until it becomes overwhelming. You cover your ears with your hands in an attempt to block it out but to no avail, your eyes squeezing shut in agony.

**[€@n ¥0u h3@r m3, €h¡lD?]**

You hear the garbled voice of a man amongst the static. Gasping, your eyes shoot open and you look around.

**[€@lm d0wn. ¥0u c@nn0t $ee m3… yet.]** The voice gradually becomes clearer and the intense static begins to dull to a low hum. You uncover your ears and draw your arms to your chest.

“Who’s there? Where am I?” Your voice choked out through your rapid breathing.

**[My nam3 is W.D. Gaster. ¥ou are asleep and I h@ve taken the 0pportunity to finally speak with you. Your physical form is still in bed, but using magic, I am able to very temporarily transfer your subconsciousness into the Void.]**

“H-how come I can’t see you? What’s the Void?”

**[You cannot see me because it would require a significant amount of energy in order to fabricate a representation of myself. The Void, to put simply, is the area between time and space. It is where I am able to communicate most clearly.]**

You take one last look around at the endless darkness. The area between time and space? What does that mean?

“Okay… so why am I here?”

**[I am glad you asked. There is something of great importance I must request of you, but there are many details that we must discuss in person. Whenever you get the chance, go to Waterfall and look for a lone gray door. I will be waiting there.]**

“Woah, come on. You gotta give me more than that!"

**[There isn’t enough time to explain thoroughly, but I assure you, I mean you no harm.]**

“Why should I listen to you? How do I know you don’t want to just take my soul?” You reply, trying to hide the fear behind your voice. The voice groans, seeming irritated.

**[Fine. If I cannot convince you, maybe they can motivate you. They have been so desperately wanting to meet you since you fell down.]**

They? Just then, the emptiness before you begins to swirl and shift, sudden bursts of colors painting the blackness. It blinded you for a moment. As the colors began to settle, you gasp at the image shown to you. It was a small child with brown, shoulder-length hair in a striped shirt and shorts. They were laying on a pristine white floor leaned against a wall, unconscious. It was the child shown in all those news reports. It was Frisk.

“Frisk?! Frisk!” You were yelling as loud as you could, attempting to reach out to the image only for it to dissipate upon your touch, the unbroken blackness returning.

“What did you do to them?” You snapped, furious. Gaster’s voice was beginning to grow garbled once again as static suddenly starts to hum.

**[The child is fine, only sleeping. Like I s@id before, everything w¡ll be explained once y0u meet u$ face to fac3.]**

The static was growing louder. Your ears are assaulted by the rough noise and you reflexively clamp your hands over them again. Gaster’s voice was hoarse, desperate and sounded right behind you.

**[P1e@sE, g0 to W@t3rfall. H3lp u$.]**

You suddenly felt something grab your shoulders, pulling you back. You struggle and scream, the darkness abruptly breaking into white.


	9. Skeletons in the Closet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, the chapter title isn't a gay skeleton pun.  
> Anyway... 3 CHAPTERS IN 1 WEEK HECK YEA. I'M ON A ROLL.
> 
> Hope you guys like some fluffy Sans. I love the idea of Sans comforting others after nightmares. ;w;
> 
> Also, look at those stats! Holy cow, you guys are awesome! Hope you enjoy. <3

You’re still screaming and thrashing wildly as something shakes you, your heart pounding in your ears. You then recognize a familiar voice frantically yelling your name.

“______! wake up! c’mon!”

Your eyes shoot open to see Sans leaning over you, his phalanges digging into the skin on your shoulders with a panicked look on his face. His plush jacket gone, now only a white tank top draped over his ribs. You take a quick look around. You were still in Sans’s room. You then note that you were no longer on the bed, but on the floor beside it. You felt cold sweat plastering your gown to your skin and you were breathing heavily. Seeing you awake, his grip loosens before he speaks, his voice revealing how shaken he was.

“relax buddy. it’s just me. deep breaths, alright?”

You follow his instructions, taking in huge gulps of air and slowly releasing them. After a few moments, you have stopped trembling and your breathing no longer labored. Sans also appeared to have calmed down as well, sighing in relief.

“you okay? must have been one heck of a nightmare.”

You nod. You recall everything that Gaster had said. He was waiting with Frisk at someplace called Waterfall. As much as you wanted to believe it was just a bad dream, you had a gut feeling that it wasn’t. Grounding yourself back to reality, you then notice that Sans was still leaning over you, gripping your arms. You shuffle beneath him, the realization of your personal space being invaded causing your anxiety to flare.

“S-Sans?”

“yeah?”

“Please let go of me…”

In an instant, your arms are released and you fall backward onto the carpeted floor.

“shit, sorry.”

Sitting up and giving the back of your head a quick rub, you prop yourself against the bedframe, wrapping your arms around your knees reservedly. Looking back to Sans, you could just barely make out a faint blue glow over his cheekbones. He then kneels in front of you, making sure to give you a couple inches of space. You decide to speak up first.

“What happened? Why was I on the floor?” Your voice cracked and was barely above a whisper.

Sans gave you a baffled look before he takes in a deep breath, crossing his legs to get more comfortable.

“uh, i woke up a little while ago. not too long later, i hear a loud noise so i came to check on you. the door was locked, so i take a shortcut to get in here only to see you on the floor hollering and flailing around in your sleep. ya must’ve rolled right outta bed.”

You peer around and notice the window above the bed. The curtains were drawn, but no light shone from the other side.

“What time is it?”

“it’s late. think you can get back to sleep for a while longer?”

You were pretty much wide awake after that so you shake your head earnestly. Sans sighs and looks down for a minute before finally looking back to you, rubbing the back of his skull with a hand.

“do you… did ya wanna talk about it?”

Considering it had Frisk in it, you really wanted to but the thought that Gaster might harm the innocent child if you shared your ordeal with anyone made you rethink. Your stomach clenched as you sat wishing you had more information to work with. Maybe you could try and talk to Sans about it later, but for now, you shake your head once more.

“it’s alright, you don’t have to tell me anything. heh... i know what it feels like. nightmares are the worst, huh?”

He pauses, tapping his boney fingers on the floor, thinking. Suddenly, he gets back on his feet and reaches down to you.

“here. howzabout we go out for a late night snack, huh? my treat.”

You stare at his hand in confusion. Food? Now? Well, guess there’s nothing better to do. You pull yourself up, still anxious from the earlier prolonged contact. Sans retracts his hand and gives an understanding nod. The cool air creeps up your gown chilling your form causing you to shiver.

“Um… I should probably get changed then.”

“yeah, good idea. it's pretty nippy outside. wouldn't want you to get _chilled to the bone_.”

You roll your eyes, fighting away a grin.

“Lame. You already used that one.”

“wow, that was _cold-hearted_.”

“ _Icy_ what you did there, but it's the truth.” You return, a snicker escaping your mouth. You both knew exactly where this was going.

“heh, you might wanna _chill out_. you ain't gonna out-pun me.”

“There's _snow_ way I'm _flaking_ out now. I'm on a roll.”

“hehe. _ice_ one, but you're gonna _slip_ up soon enough.”

Shoot. Running out of ammo. You think for a moment and Sans gives you a smug look.

“I’m… uh.. not gonna _freeze_ up that quick.”

“nice save, but i can tell you're starting to loose your _cool_.”

“Well… I uh…. Ugh, darn it.”

He chuckles loudly, thoroughly entertained.

“i warned ya, pal. but hey, it was a respectable effort.” he shrugs as he makes his way to the door.

“go ahead and change. i’ll be waiting for ya downstairs.”

You give a quick nod, still snickering. He leaves and after locking the door, you hastily slip off your gown and switch into your outfit. Out of a force of habit, you grab your backpack and sling it over your shoulder. Stumbling out of the messy room, you close his door and make your way down stairs. Sans was standing by the front door, his jacket back on and his hands taking their place back in the pockets. He waves you over before chuckling.

“why’d you bring that?” he was pointing to your backpack. You look back to it and give an awkward shrug, crossing your arms to your chest.

“I uh…  just feel more comfortable having it with me… ya know?”

“it’s fine, buddy. alright, just follow me.”

Stepping outside the cozy cabin, the cold nips at your face. You notice how empty it was, all the monsters that you saw before all gone into their homes, presumably asleep. The cavern wasn’t completely dark, a few streetlamps illuminated the path. The snow crunched under your feet with each step. You pass by the Librarby and realize where you were going. The neon sign for Grillby’s was still on, along with the bright lights from inside.

“this place stays open pretty late, lucky for us.”

You then realize your unfortunate lack of wealth meant he was going to be paying for it and guilt crept up on you.

“I’m not sure about this. I mean, you’ve done a lot already and I’d feel bad if you ended up having to pay for it all.”

Sans only laughs and continues to the entrance.

“really ______, you need to stop worrying so much. i said it was my treat. no big deal.”

“But you don’t owe me anything, so I don’t get why you’re being so nice to me.” You admit, rubbing your arms nervously.

He stops just before opening the door and turns around, his expression unreadable. For a moment, you were worried you had seemed unappreciative of his generosity and that he was going to just have you go back, but instead he sighs, his pupils avoiding your gaze.

“well, it’s the least i can do to make it up to the ol’ lady for breaking her promise and leavin’ her like that.”

“You mean Toriel?”

“yeah. i never did learn her name.”

“You can still go visit her, ya know. She really misses your jokes.” You reply quietly. Sans then turns back around and pushes the door open.

“i’ll think about it.”

With that, you follow him inside. You were overwhelmed by the intense change in temperature; it was sweltering. You look at the decor, tables and booths placed evenly on each side of the small building. There were no other customers and it was incredibly silent, the only noise aside from your footsteps being the sound of crackling fire. As you approach the bar, you then see the source. A tall creature that seemed to be made of fire was standing with their back to you, organizing the various bottles on the shelves. You stare in awe as the flames swayed and flickered. Your attention is pulled away by the squeak of a barstool.

“heya grillbz. lookin’ hot as usual, buddy.”

You hear a soft groan and the bartender turns and considers Sans before noticing you standing a few feet away, his face shifting into what you assume the action to be raising an eyebrow. Sans pats the stool next to his and you walk up, hopping into the seat.

“______, this is grillby.”

The fire elemental gives a small bow in greeting.

“Nice to meet you, Grillby. I'm ______.”

You note his attire; wearing a classy dress shirt and black vest with a bow tie to match and glasses seemingly suspended to his face. He emanated heat, though not as intense as what you'd expect. It felt pleasant and comforting. He smiles… you think and then turns back to Sans.

“so, whaddya want? menu’s right there.” he points to a single sheet of laminated paper taped to the bar. Glancing it over, there wasn't much when it came to food, but it also had an extensive list of different alcoholic drinks. Would it still be illegal to drink down here? Not that you would, anyway.

“Uh… would it be alright to get a burger and some fries?” you ask meekly.

“sounds good. i think i’ll have the same, ‘kay grillbz?”

Grillby nods once more. Seems he doesn't talk much. He then made his way through a door behind the bar and left you both alone. After a few awkward minutes of doing nothing, Sans decides to break the silence.

“so… i guess now’s as good a time as any to chat. heh. got any questions?”

You mull over in your head what to ask first. You had a ton of questions, but you didn't want to pry too much. Deciding to start with the mystery that was swimming in your thoughts ever since you left the Ruins, you speak.

“Okay. Do you know what happened to Frisk?”

He tenses a little, already seeming unsettled with the subject you chose, his voice low and quiet.

“i’m gonna be honest with ya… i have no clue what happened to the kid.”

“Wait, really? But Toriel said you promised to watch them…”

“yeah, and that's why i haven't talked with her since.” he shifts uncomfortably. “don't get me wrong, it's not like i haven't gone crazy trying to find the squirt, i just haven't had any luck. we’ve all been looking… but they just up and vanished. frisk hasn't died though, that i’m sure of.”

“What makes you say that?”

He leans his weight onto the bar, balancing his chin in a hand.

“dunno. guess you could say it's a gut feeling.” His voice lightens back up to its bombastic tone.

You roll your eyes as Sans chuckles.

“Really?”

“couldn't help myself.”

“Mmhm. So where was the last place you saw Frisk before they disappeared?”

“according to the royal scientist’s security cameras, last place they were seen was waterfall. it’s the place just beyond here.”

You gasp silently and gulp, your heart starting to race. There was no way that was a coincidence. The voice in your dream said they would be at Waterfall and Sans mentioning that not only was it the last place Frisk was seen, but that it even exists only confirmed your suspicions.

“uh, you alright?” Sans was waving a hand to bring out of your thoughts.

“What? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“dunno. you seem kinda on edge. something bothering you?”

“It’s nothing.” You sigh. This skeleton seemed to read you like a book.

“pal, i’m being honest with you. i’d appreciate if you’d do the same.”

That was true. Perhaps he would know something about Gaster or the Void that would be useful in trying to save Frisk. You take a moment to plan how you were going to word this.

“Okay. So, you know how you woke me up and I was freaking out and yelling?”

“oh... look, if it’s something real personal, i take it back. you don’t need to tell me if you’re not comfortable with it.” He seemed apologetic.

“It’s not that, I promise.” You take in a deep breath and begin explaining. ”The dream I had was really strange. I was surrounded by nothing but darkness until a disembodied voice told me to go to Waterfall. I refused, and then the voice alluded that they had Frisk captive. I saw them, Sans. He said he needed my help with something, but he didn’t really say why. What does that mean, Sans?”

Sans just sat quietly, the lights in his eyes dim. He was deep in thought, his hand clenched into a fist.

“what did he tell you?”

“He said to meet him at a door at Waterfall, I think.”

“and did uh… did the voice tell you his name or no?”

“It was Gaster. Does that name mean anything?”

The lights in his eyes were completely gone now.

“yeah, it rings a bell.”

“Who is he?”

“he was my dad.”


	10. Ripped From Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Sans chat about Gaster and then get shitfaced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! New chapter!  
> I had some trouble trying to figure out how I wanted this one to end so sorry if the pacing seems off in some places. Anyway, hope you like!

_ Dad?  _ You weren’t entirely sure how monsters reproduced but you didn’t want to open that can of worms right now. Shoving that disturbing thought out of your head, you shift in your seat restlessly.

“Your dad?” 

“kinda. he’s less of a dad and more of a quack doctor. i’d rather not go into detail. it’s... pretty complicated.” He had a distant look.

“So where is he?”

“that’s the problem. he’s everywhere and nowhere.”

You squint, utterly perplexed.

“Is that supposed to be some kind of cryptic riddle or something?”

“no... it’s difficult to explain. a while ago, gaster had an accident during one of his experiments. it caused him to essentially be expelled from this plane of existence, if that makes any sense.”

You blink, recalling that Gaster had said something about the Void and how it was the area between space and time. Is that what Sans was referring to?

“... You mean the Void?”

“how do you know about that?”

“He mentioned it during the dream. Is that where he is? The Void?”

“yep. it’s the space between reality that no one can see or even interact with normally. heck, most folks don’t even know it exists. it’s just a theory. the only reason i know about it is because i did a few experiments trying to find out what happened to the madman. well that, and i pass through it every time i teleport.”

“Wait, really? So when you brought us here, we passed through the Void?”

Before he could reply, Grillby reenters carrying two steaming plates. Sans perked up to the sight as Grillby placed the respective dishes before you. He also grabs Sans a bottle of ketchup from beneath the bar and hands it to him.

“let’s put this on hold for now.” He says before he turns to the fire elemental. “look’s great grillbz, thanks. just put this on my tab.”

Grillby nods before exiting the bar to go wipe down some tables. You frown. You had been getting very interested in where the conversation was going, but the mouthwatering scent of the food before you melted your frustration away quickly. Sans grins and clears his nonexistent throat.

“want some ketchup?”

Can’t eat fries without ketchup. You nod and he slides the bottle to you with a wink.

“bone appetit.”

You barely tilted the bottle before the cap falls off and ketchup blankets your fries and burger. You cringe at the copious amounts of red condiment.

“Oh… that's fine I guess.”

That's just your luck. You're about to reach for a soggy fry when Sans begins snickering and leans over, swapping your plate with his. 

“hey, it's cool. you can have mine.”

The food was absolutely incredible. Cooked to perfection. You and Sans sat there and enjoyed your meal. You couldn't help but steal a glance at Sans as he ate. It was weird; the food seemed to just disappear while he chewed. After a few minutes of eating in silence, Sans waves Grillby back to the bar.

“ey grillbz, get me a shot of the good stuff, yeah?”

The bartender nodded and turned to the wall of bottles, reaching for one higher up. Sans turns to you with a smirk.

“ya want anything? grillbz has a great inventory.”

What? Did he mean alcohol? Wait, how do alcohol restrictions work for monsters? You aren't of legal drinking age yet on the surface,but does that really apply here? You've never had any kind of alcoholic beverages before and didn't plan on it anytime soon. Sans waited expectantly for your response, Grillby already filing a shot glass.

“Um… I don't know about that.”

“no problem. i just thought a shot or two might help ya loosen up some.” he hums as Grillby places the glass in the bar in front of him before returning to his cleaning. He tilts the brown liquid into his jaws. You were expecting it to just drain out through his chin but it didn't which only confused you more. Monsters are weird.

“Loosen up?”

“yeah. you seem like you need it.”

“Why do you say that?”

He fiddles with the emptied shot glass while staring at the bar.

“i guess it's the way you act and… your soul.”

“My soul?” your hand reaches up and hovers over your chest. “What about it?”

“i don't like to brag, but i’m pretty good at reading people through their souls. i can see them really clearly compared to most other monsters.”

“That seems kind of personal…” you reply.

“i mean, not really. it's pretty normal for us. sorry, i hope i didn't make you uncomfortable.”

“I guess it's fine…”

“well, as i was saying, ever since i first saw you in the forest you seemed kinda distant. even when you're acting calm, your soul tells me there's something on your mind, and it's not good. negative thoughts won't help anything, pal.”

Well, now you know how he was able to read you so well.

“I don't really have a choice but to worry.”

“why?”

You were starting to get a little upset, your arms crossing against your chest. 

“I just… I promised Toriel that I would get Frisk home safely but I have no clue how I'm going to go that, let alone leave the barrier without your King trying to kill one of us.”

Sans gave a soft grin.

“______, it's alright. you're only gonna stress yourself out even more if you keep thinking like that. i’m gonna help get you and frisk back so don't think you gotta take this on alone. we'll need some time to come up with a plan, though.”

You looked at him with concern. 

“Why do you want to help me?”

“well, for starters, you seem to have a direct connection to gaster. we could use that to get to frisk. that, and i owe ya for helping get my bro back to his old self again. he was real upset when the kid went missing, ya know.” his voice lowered. “i was starting to think he might fall down.”

Toriel had told you about monsters “falling down”. They would pretty much become lethargic and sleep constantly until soon enough, they don't wake up and their body slowly turns to dust. It sounded horrible and imagining that happening to Papyrus hit you hard. 

You look away, still unsure. It was true, you knew you were going to need any help you could get, but you still felt apprehensive. 

“I don't know…”

“i ain't taking no for an answer. just telling ya that now.” he quips as he motions Grillby back over for a second shot. You sigh, resigning yourself to future collaboration with the skeleton.

“Thank you, Sans.”

“don't mention it, bud.” he winks and downs his shot. 

“so you wanna head back? heh, the food’s probably cold by now.”

You looked back to your plate. There was only a couple bites left of the burger and a few fries left. You frowned. As serious as the conversations got, you admitted to yourself that you were actually pretty relaxed and enjoying Sans’s company. You pondered for a moment. One shot shouldn't hurt, right? You were going right back to their place afterward anyway. 

“Well… We don't have to head back just yet. I… I guess I could hang here for one shot. Just… something weak. Is that alright?”

Sans perked up then gave a questioning look.

“you don't have to drink if ya don't wanna go back. we can just hang out.”

“It's okay. I want to. Promise.”

He grins with a nod

“you heard the lady, grillbz.”

Grillby raised a brow to Sans. He walked closer and whispered in a low tone.

“it’ll be fine, grillby. i’ll make sure we don't overdo it.”

Seeming satisfied, he walks over and grabs a green bottle from the lowest shelf and swiftly pours it into a small glass in front of you. You carefully lift the glass and sniff, the strong smell catching you off guard. This was weak stuff? ‘Maybe this isn't a good idea. You need to focus on finding Frisk and getting back home.’ says the logical side of your brain. ‘You know what? I can take a break for one night. It can't hurt.’ says the side that really wanted to relax and forget.

 

~~~~~~

 

You got two down. The first one burned your throat and you wondered how it would affect you, but a few minutes later, you started to feel the buzz and downed one more. Your conscience was numbed and for the first time in ages, you didn't feel worried about anything. There wasn't a single negative thought weighing down the back of your mind. Sans had three shots himself. You were going back and forth having a pun battle, snickering like idiots.

Several minutes later, Grillby turned off the neon “open” sign in the window. Walking back behind the bar, he cleared his throat to get Sans’s attention.

“oh. heh, sorry grillbz. didn't mean to keep ya. c’mon ______. let's go.”

You stretch your arms out and yawned hugely as you slide off the stool. You stumble and swerve with every step. Sans closes the distance between the two of you, stopping in front of you. 

“woah pal. ya think you'll be able to walk like that?”

You dizzily nod, a stupid, confident grin on your face.

“I got it. I'm gooood. Don't… doubt meee.” Not a minute later and you trip over a chair. Before you land face down on the floor, you're engulfed in a blue hue and levitating.

“careful!”

Oh geez. The sudden motion causes your stomach to lurch and you feel nauseous. You're set back on solid ground.

“ehehe wow, you're really  _ falling _ for me, huh?”

The pun didn't register as you were standing incredibly unsteady, grabbing onto a table to balance yourself.

“I… don't think. I don't know if I'm gunna be able ta walk back like thisss.”

Sans approaches you and hesitantly wraps an arm around your side, steadying you. Normally you would be shying away and your anxiety would explode, but you felt somewhat comforted by the embrace. 

“is this alright?” Sans was scanning your face for confirmation.

You nod slightly and you both began making your way to the door. Sans waves goodbye to Grillby and you both exit, your steps messily syncing with Sans’s to stay balanced. You get halfway passed the Librarby and Sans’s house is in sight. You’re still giddy and laughing at nothing when you decide to start making more puns, letting your thoughts spill out.

“Hehehe Grillby seemed pretty  _ heated _ about us being there so late.”

Sans chuckles softly.

“hehe naa, it takes a lot to get him  _ boiling  _ mad.”

“One could say he doesn’t have a short  _ fuse _ …” you pause. “Hey, ya know what's got me  _ steaming _ ?”

“what's gotten you all  _ fired  _ up, bud?”

“You guys don't deserve this.” your voice lowered. Sans gives you a side glance and raises his brows.

“whaddya talkin’ about?”

“You don't deserve to be trapped down here. Not one single monster I've met has been anything other than kind. Like… Toriel healed me and offered me a home, you and Papyrus welcomed me into yours with open armsss, and ya even want to help me get home even if it means you'll be stuck here longer. It's not fair.” your slurred voice cracked in frustration. “I’m so sorry.”

Sans chuckled and gave a small grin.

“sunshine, you don't need to worry about that. it's not your fault.” 

Sans’s grip around your side tightened slightly. You flinch and trip over your feet in surprise, landing in the snow. Sans tumbles along with you with a grunt. You shake away the stars in your eyes and push yourself to your knees to see Sans face down in the slush.

“Oh goodness, I'm so sorry. A-are you okay?”

Sans doesn't move, only a muffled sound escapes from him.

“Um, Sans?”

Suddenly he pulls his skull out of the snow, deep laughter echoing through the night air.

“hehe oh man. didja have a nice  _ trip _ ?”

You giggle as Sans pulls himself back up and you do the same, stumbling as you do. He latches onto your arm and steadied.

“let's just take a shortcut the rest of the way back. sound good?”

You nod, still snickering as you quickly rub your hands against your cold cheeks and Sans loosely brings his arm around your waist. You do the same, clinging to his arm.

“alright, hold on tight.”

You closed your eyes and braced yourself, suddenly feeling that same falling sensation from before. You feel something grab your arm tightly. You clamp onto Sans’s waist and scream, your eyes opening out of shock. You're yanked out of Sans’s grip with a strong pull. Everything was black aside from a small portal that Sans was staring through in horror, reaching out and yelling your name as you're dragged into the darkness and the portal closes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MUHAHAHA!!  
> CLIFFHANGER! >:D


	11. The Void's Only Resident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally find Frisk and meet the man who took you. Also Sans has daddy issues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a small POV switch during this chapter. I'm not sure how much I may do this in the future, but I guess we'll see!
> 
> Also, THANK YOU! Those stats are insane. I didn't think this would be so well received. Thank you all so much for the kudos, comments and everything else! <3

(Sans POV)

Sans only stood there frozen in shock as the doorway he created fizzled away, taking you with it. He only caught a glimpse of a white hand with a distinctive hole in the center tearing you out of his arms as you struggled and screamed. He fell to his knees as he clenched his hands into fists, magic surging through his bones in frustration and rage. How could he have been so rash? He knew that Gaster was after you and yet still teleported with you anyway. It might have been the alcohol clouding his judgement, but still he gritted his teeth. You were starting to open up and trust him. Now you’re gone and it was his fault. He held back the desire to erupt into a frenzy.

“damn it.”

The small curse slipped from his mouth and he hung his head in defeat as hot tears began to trail down his cheekbones. You were most likely in the same place Frisk was. The same place that he had spent several _years_ trying to figure out how to reach with no luck. Why did he have to make that stupid promise? If he had just went on with his job and said no, he wouldn’t have grown attached. They both would still be fine and living with Toriel… or as a bittersweet alternative, the King would finally have the means to finally break the barrier. Sans furrowed his brows in resentment.

“if that lowlife has done anything to either of those two…” He slowly stood back up with a new fire burning in his soul and his eye ablaze with magic.

“he’s in for a bad time.”

He huffed attempting to control the magic coursing through his form, his eyes return to their usual pinpricks of light. Pulling his jacket back up over his clavicles, Sans made his way to the front door. If he was going to get them back, he’d need help from another brilliant mind. As he pulled the door open, he lept back in surprise as a figure towers over him, armor clad and glowing spear grasped tightly in hand and the other raised into a fist. Undyne pulls her helmet off and reveals a toothy frown.

“Sans, where’s your brother? Is that bonehead STILL sulking in his room?”

Sans loosens up and tucks his hands in his pockets, forcing a grin.

“geez undyne, what are you doin’ here this late?”

“UUUGH, just answer the question! Is Papyrus okay?” She growls impatiently.

“yeah, paps is fine. he’s doing better, actually.”

Undyne’s expression loosened in relief for a second, then fell back to being serious.

“Well, I just came to inform the both of you that Alphys and I just reviewed today’s security tapes and saw a human pass by one of them! You should have been at your post at the time, so did you see where she went?” She demanded.

Sans felt droplets of sweat form on his skull as he quickly tried to come up with a response. He hesitated, knowing what the aggressive warrior would try to do if she somehow found her before he did.

“sorry undyne. kid must’ve slipped right by me. don't worry, i’ll make sure to report anything _fishy.”_ he winks and Undyne groans, her yellow eye narrowing.

“Sans, this isn't a game. We already lost one human recently.” she looks away and softens her voice. “That darn kid… leaving us to who knows where… Who knows when we'll have another opportunity like this?”

Sans knew that Frisk has spent some time to get to know Undyne. That is, after she stopped trying to take their soul. She didn't outwardly express it when Frisk first went missing, but he knew she was as worried as everyone else had been.

“alright. like i said, i’ll keep an eye socket out for ‘em.”

Undyne sighed.

“Good. Inform your brother in the morning.” she huffs. She began to turn to take off back to Waterfall, but before she does, she turned back to Sans with a suspicious glare. “Hey, you know, I never even got the chance to knock. What are YOU doing up anyway? And why are your cheeks… Are they wet?” she squinted, making out the slight gleam of dampness from only minutes before.

Sans flinched. Shit.

“Were you crying? Why?”

“i uh… had a nightmare. i was about to go take a walk. is there a problem with that?” He asks innocently.

“Oh. No, that's fine… Are you going to be okay?”

“hehe, _spear_ me the pity. i’m good.”

Her concerned look shifted to annoyance.

“Yeah, okay. Just… try to find the human.” she huffs as she then jogs back toward Waterfall. Sans stood there watching until she was out of sight in the dense fog between areas. He drops his facade, grin falling and expression serious before he closes the door back, visualizing his destination before taking a single step forward and vanishing.

He reappears in Hotland, the huge white laboratory towering above as he steps up to the metal doors. He gives a heavy knock and waits impatiently for a response, tapping a slipper on the red stone ground. Nothing. He knocks again harder this time.

“alphys! come on, i know you're not asleep. open up.” He bellows with his skull pressed against the door. Mechanical sounds hum  and the door suddenly opens, a short yellow monster wearing a patterned night gown meekly stepping forth. Her eyes had a tint of red and a light blush was spread over her cheeks as she looks at Sans in confusion.

“S-Sans? What are you d-doing here this late?” Alphys questions as she adjusts her glasses.

“we need to talk.” He drawls.

“Right n-now? Can’t this wait until m-morning?”

“no, this is important. i know you’re just watching anime anyway.” He retorts with a small grin. Her eyes dart back into the darkness of her lab then back to Sans.

“Okay, j-just give me a moment to clean up a b-bit.”

“alphys, you know me. i really don’t care if your lab is messy. can’t be any worse than my room.” He then walks passed her and deeper into the building.

“Sans! No, w-wait!” The monster squeaked frantically as she hurried in pursuit. Sans halts as soon as he reached the end of the entrance hall. His brow bones raised when he regarded the huge monitor brightening the otherwise dark room. It was paused on an image of two robots in a rather intimate embrace looking lovingly in each other’s eyes. The screen suddenly went dark and his gaze went to a very abashed Alphys hastily pressing some buttons below the monitor. The lights came on and she turned back around, her face red and little droplets of sweat fell from her forehead. Sans gave a small chuckle.

“don’t worry, i won’t tell anyone.”

“J-just what is it y-you wanted to t-talk about?” She stutters with her eyes to the floor. Sans sighs and steps closer, the playful mocking in his voice gone and replaced with a sincere tone.

“i know where frisk is.”

 

~~~~~~

 

Your limbs felt heavy and your back was stiff as you began to wriggle on whatever hard surface you were laying on. Your eyes squinted open only to be blinded by whiteness. You groaned, shaking away the haziness in your mind. Must have blacked out. How many times have you woken up in ominous environments now? Three? You quickly pull yourself to your feet, dizzy from the sudden movement.

You wince as a harsh headache surfaces and place a hand against your forehead. Well, you should have seen this coming. Wait how could you be hungover? How long were you out for the alcohol to have worn off? Swiveling your head around, you recall being dragged into darkness, yet the entire room was a pure, undisturbed white. That is until you see a small body leaning against a wall behind you along with your backpack sitting beside them. Their chest rose and fell slowly under their striped shirt.

“Frisk!” you exclaim silently before rushing to the child. You kneel down and gently place a hand on their shoulder, giving a little shake.

“Wake up. Come on, kid. Please.” You whisper.

The child yawned and blinked away the sleepiness in their eyes. They looked up at you, gasping before immediately giggling in delight and wrapping their arms around your neck. You reeled back in surprise but soon returned the hug. They suddenly pull away and start making hand signals at an insane speed. Sign language? Shoot. You wave a hand up and they halt.

“I’m sorry, I don't know sign language.” You frown.

The child places a finger to their chin before perking up and reaching for your backpack. They pull out your notebook and a pencil before quickly scribbling something down. Oh, good idea. Frisk shoves the paper to you; The handwriting rather messy, but legible.

_I'm so glad you're okay! You were asleep for a while._

You smile weakly at the child’s concern and give them a playful leer.

“Hey, how’d you know I had a notebook? Did you go through my stuff?”

They give a guilty-as-charged grin and shrug their shoulders. You giggle a little, but return to the seriousness of the situation, peering around once more in unease before returning your gaze to them.

“Where are we?”

Frisk bites a lip and jots down a response.

_I think that's something he should tell you._

You notice Frisk was no longer looking at you, but beyond you at something else. A feeling of dread falls over you as you slowly turn your head. You hastily lean against the wall, shoving an arm in front of Frisk protectively. Standing on the other side of the room was the tall figure of a man with a white face, his arms crossed behind his back wearing a black lab coat open to reveal a white turtleneck sweater and black dress pants. The lanky man begins making smooth strides closer and your heart races. He stops and couple feet before you and leans over. Now that he was closer, you note his features. He had the same smooth look as the skeleton brothers and black eye sockets yet there were huge cracks on both; the one on his right eye trailing up to his forehead and the other going down almost connecting with his mouth. Dim pricks of light not unlike Sans’s hovered in the emptiness, fixed intensely on you. He straightened back up and pulled a hand out, reaching down to you. Every muscle in your body is tensed as you stare at the peculiar hole cut right through the center of it.

 **[It is nice to finally meet you in person. I am Dr. Gaster.]** He gave a small smile. His voice was clearer than it was in the dream, yet you note how there was still a strain to it as if his words were fighting to not be heard.

You look at him in confusion. What, is he seriously expecting a handshake?

“Where am I?” You ask flatly, annoyance and anger clear in your tone. Gaster’s smile falls and he pulls his hand back.

 **[You are in the Void. I took the opportunity to bring you here myself when I felt the presence of my son's magic. My apologies, I know that I asked you to come here yourself, but I grew impatient.]** he spoke with a professional tone and precise language.

“Wait a second. In my dream, the Void was completely dark and went on forever. Why is this place so different?”

**[How observant. Sans has already explained to you how an accident caused my physical being to purged from existence, correct? The Void is normally emptiness, this is accurate, however during my time here I discovered that there are a select few spaces in the Void that are more closely linked to reality than elsewhere. These pockets are the only spaces that beings with physicality can interact with in regards to the Void. I am sorry, but this subject is difficult summarize simply.]**

So are the Void and reality parallel to each other? The questions continued to pile up and your headache only got worse as you tried to make sense. Then suddenly, a cold realization.

“How did you know Sans told me that?”

**[I have been monitoring your progress since you first fell. Although I cannot interact with anything outside of the Void, I am able to see and hear everything that goes on yet no one is able to detect my presence. Think of it like a 1-way mirror.]**

You froze in fear. The thought that this man has been watching you constantly sent a chill down your spine. You felt violated and helpless knowing that some monster stalked and seized you for some still unknown reason.

“Alright well you still haven’t told me why I’m here, so what do you want? And why did you kidnap Frisk?” You tried to put on a brave face, but your shaky voice wasn’t convincing anyone. Gaster gave a curious look to Frisk and then back to you.

 **[Kidnap? I did no such thing. Frisk came here willingly.]** He replied apathetically. You immediately turn to Frisk who had an unreadable expression. They pull up the notepad and began hastily scribbling something down. Moments later, you’re handed the book.

_It’s half true. I found a door while I was wandering around and Gaster was inside. We made a deal, but he decided to keep me here._

You furrow your brows.

“You made a deal? What kind of deal?”

Gaster interjects in a pragmatic tone.

**[The child wished to help me escape the Void and in return, I would assist them. I came up with a theory that with enough soul power, I would be able to leave this wretched place and reenter reality with a physical body. However, even Frisk’s human soul is not strong enough to withstand the strain of magic it would require to extract it’s power. There is a chance their soul could shatter and they would die.]**

You shudder at the thought that Gaster could have went through and done it anyway, but he didn’t want to kill Frisk. Perhaps maybe he truly didn’t want to hurt them. Or maybe it was just because a shattered soul would be useless and he wouldn’t be able to escape.

“Okay… So what does that have to do with me exactly?” You say, your muscles sore from being tensed for so long as you finally begin to relax them. Gaster smiles, the lights in his eyes brightening with excitement.

**[Ah, yes. That is where you come in. Frisk’s soul alone is unable to handle the strain, but if I am able to split the strain onto two souls instead of concentrating it all on one, I will be able to safely get what is needed and finally be free from this wretched place.]**

You notice Frisk looking up at you with a pleading expression and a hand on your thigh. You sigh heavily. What would happen if he took energy from your souls? Would they regenerate what they lost? … Would it hurt? You consider for a moment then you turn your thoughts to a separate question.

“Frisk, what did you need Gaster’s help with?”

The kid only looked down and twiddled their fingers nervously. Gaster only stands silently before he finally answers for them.

**[They needed my scientific prowess in order to synthesize a monster soul.]**

You eye them curiously. Why would they need a monster soul? Frisk’s shoulders fall as they sigh quietly and reach for the notepad once more. Instead of writing, they begin drawing. As the image began to take shape, your eyes widen as you recognize the innocent smile, beady black eyes and petals. There was no doubt. It was Flowey.


	12. The Power of Determination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans takes action and you learn about the power of souls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter seems a little confusing. I was using this chapter to try and beat back my writer's block... so yeah it's a little short. >_

(Sans POV)

Alphys’s eyes widened behind her rounded glasses and her mouth hung open, her anxiety and embarrassment vanishing at the mention of Frisk. She stepped closer to Sans with her claws clasped together.

“R-really?! Where are they? Are they okay?” She demanded, her stuttering becoming less frequent. Sans clenched his teeth.

“they’re in the void. with him.” He explained plainly. Alphys blinked in surprise. Sans had worked with the nervous monster before during his experiments trying to free Gaster. Once he gave up on trying to get him back, they hadn’t really spoken about it since. The gleam in her eyes however brought back memories of how passionate she was with her work. He knew she was more than intrigued.

“You couldn’t possibly mean… G-Gaster?”

“yeah, i do.”

“B-but how did Frisk end up there? And how do you know that’s where they are?” She questioned with a slight frown. He flinched in response. Well, no use lying to one of the only available scientists in the Underground.

“it’s because of the other human. the one you and undyne saw on your security cameras. i met her and she told me she had a dream with him in it and that he had frisk. not only that, but he took her too.”

She gasped loudly and began pacing back and forth, ranting as jumbled words of confusion and speculation spilled from her mouth. Sans only stood and listened as she thought aloud.

“This is incredible. How was he able to pull them into the Void? W-what could he possibly want with them? Wait...” She paused for a moment, her arms crossed against her chest deep in thought and a single bead of sweat forming on her forehead.

“what is it?”

“Maybe, just maybe he plans on trying to use their human souls to escape somehow. It might be possible that with enough soul power, he could re-enter our plane of existence… But even still, I don’t think any monster can control such a concentration of d-determination with magic alone… That’s why I had to m-make… the DT Extraction machine.” Her voice lowered and her stutter was beginning to return.

“Th-those experiments, even with t-technology… they still put a devastating a-amount of stress on the souls we had extracted samples from. Sans, w-we have to get them away from Gaster! If that’s what his plan is, they could be in grave danger.” She was hysterical now, clenching her arms in worry. Sans eye sockets widened and his whole body was tensed. There was no way he was going to let that bastard hurt another innocent soul, not while he was still standing. Sans calmly approached Alphys who was still frantic and rambling to herself.

“alph, i’m gonna need your help, alright? take it easy. we’ll figure this out.” He placed a boney hand on her shoulder and she looked back to him. With a few moments to control her breathing, she finally nods.

“A-alright. Do you have any ideas?”

“yeah, i got one. do ya remember that machine we worked on a while back?”

She nods again but looks disconcerted.

“But Sans, I thought th-that it d-didn’t work? W-we already tested it once and it... didn’t end so well.”

“we’ll just have to make it work. c’mon.”

With that, he grabs onto her forearm prepared to take a shortcut. He visualizes the lab below his house. The broken machine covered by a dirty sheet. The magic begins to flow around his form but the memory of you being pulled into the blackness of the Void suddenly flashed into his mind. His hands tightened around Alphys’s arm before he hastily releases. Alphys backs away with her tail curled over her slippers in concern as she rubs her arm.

“S-Sans?”

“uh... let’s just go meet with river person and hitch a ride.” He says, trying to hide the anxiousness in his voice. After a moment, she agreed and they exited the lab. The night was coming to an end as the cavern was very gradually beginning to brighten up. They made their way to the river where the River Person was waiting in their boat. No one really knew who the mysterious hooded creature was as they just sort of showed up one day and started offering other monsters rides for free. At least they don’t seem to have any ill intentions and they do make traversing the Underground much easier.

Climbing aboard, Sans looks to the dark figure.

“snowdin, please.”

They then began to slowly drift away from Hotland. Alphys was awkwardly tugging at her gown which she neglected to change out of during their haste. Sans leaned back into the wooden seat and let out a huge sigh, letting the gentle bob of the boat in the water calm his nerves.

“don't worry. you’ll both be out of there in no time.” He whispers in a low tone.

 

~~~~~~

 

You stared unblinking at the crude drawing as the first memories of your fall surfaced; the utter confusion, the denial, the pain. Why on this green Earth would Frisk want to give a monster soul to Flowey? True, you knew nothing about the flower, but he did try to kill you in cold blood. What are this child’s intentions? You return your gaze to Gaster who was now sitting on his knees before the two of you with his hands neatly placed atop them and he speaks calmly.

**[That flower is indeed the one you met when you first arrived.]**

You eye Frisk curiously before returning to Gaster.

“But why? I don’t understand what Frisk wanting a monster soul and that insane weed have to do with each other.”

Frisk then began making hand signals to Gaster. You watched in puzzlement as Gaster gave the occasional nod before turning to you.

**[The child asked me to translate while they explain.]**

“Please do.”

Frisk’s hands were a blur as they moved effortlessly. Gaster then began talking, his eyes glued to Frisk as they signed.

**[Flowey is a monster without a soul. Monster souls are made of love and compassion. If Dr. Gaster can get Flowey a soul, he’ll be nice and be able to feel love.]**

You give a bewildered look as you remember one of Toriel’s books saying how monster’s bodies are made entirely of their soul.

“But how can a monster exist without a soul?” You reason.

This time, Gaster is the one to reply.

**[Flowey is a very unique case. He is the result of a flower growing from the dust of a monster then injected with determination.]**

“Injected with… determination?”

 **[Yes. Determination is the power in all human souls. The power that gives their souls the strength to persist even after death. The will to live. What happens when you give a non-sentient being the will to live? This question was answered with Flowey. It lives as a creature unable to feel love since it lacks a soul. It is quite interesting.]** Gaster explains with a slight inflection of intrigue. Your head spun as you tried to comprehend the craziness. So the only reason Flowey tried to kill you like that is because he is soulless?

“I think I understand… But why go through all that trouble for some random monster?” You look back to Frisk at your side who frowns and begins signing. Gaster acts as their voice once more.

**[Because no one deserves a world without love. He must be so lonely, ______.]**

Wow. That was really corny, but you begrudgingly find yourself agreeing. It sounds like such an awful existence to live without being able to love anyone. You can’t imagine that kind of isolation being anything other than dismal. With a sigh you curl your legs up to your chest. Gaster then stands back to his feet, towering over you as you sit against the wall.

**[Well then. Are there any other questions you have?]**

You glare up at him.

“Yeah. What if I don’t want to help you?” You hear Frisk gasp at your side. Gaster’s expression remains straight and lacking any sort of emotion, keeping his professional tone.

**[If you have analyzed the situation, you would have acknowledged how your assistance will benefit us all. It would be illogical not to.]**

“You know, I find it hard to want to help you when you’ve kept Frisk captive and dragged me here against my will.” You growl. Frisk nabs your notepad and begins rapidly scribbling something before handing it to you.

_Please help us. I know you don’t trust him, but trust me. Okay?_

Your expression softens at Frisk before you eventually turn back to the tall figure.

“What are you going to do once you're free?”

Gaster’s brows scrunched at your question and he almost seemed to be taken aback.

**[I plan on assisting Frisk’s efforts in order to synthesize a monster soul for Flowey, of course.]**

“What about after that?” You ask flatly.

 **[After that, I look forward to catching up on my research. I've had an eternity to come up with some new ideas for experiments. Experiments I plan on taking extensively thorough precautions in order to prevent a repeat of this, I assure you.]** He states, a subdued enthusiasm lacing his words.

Every part of your conscience is screaming to not trust this monster. You knew close to nothing about him or his true intentions. Yet again, Gaster most likely wasn't going to let you just by asking nicely. Then there was Frisk. They seemed set on getting Flowey a soul. Perhaps it would be best if you just agreed. After being stared down by Gaster and Frisk for what felt like ages, you finally look back up to the man, the lights in his sockets flickering with interest.

“... Alright. Fine. I'll do it.”

You feel Frisk wrap their little arms around your side and Gaster stood up taller, his crooked smile huge with delight.

**[Thank you so much, ______. I promise I will repay your generosity.]**

You slowly stand up and Frisk does the same, grabbing your hand.

“Alright… So how is this going to work? You gonna use magic? Is it a science thing or...?” your voice came out shakily.

**[Well my dear, I wish it were that simple. This is going to be difficult, but I ask that you heed my instructions.]**

“Uh… okay. What do we do?”

**[I need you both to close your eyes.]**

You nod and hesitantly do so, holding Frisk’s hand tighter.

**[You are going to feel a tug at your chest and then a slight tingling sensation. Do not fret, this is normal.]**

Not a second later is the unmistakable feeling of your soul being pulled from your body. Frisk’s hand is squeezing yours now as you keep your eyes tightly shut. All of a sudden, your whole body tenses at the prickling running across your skin, much like the uncomfortable feeling when blood isn't circulating correctly through a limb but on a much larger scale. The tingling begins to fade and you flinch as your soul is pushed back into your chest.

**[Keep your eyes shut for now. You will receive further instruction once you reach the lab.]**

The lab? His statement barely got a chance to register before you felt the floor below your feet vanish and you wrap your arms around Frisk’s body as the sound of static buzzes in your mind.


	13. Stay Determined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Frisk take the first step towards Gaster’s freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhhhh I'm sorry  
> I really need to work on my pacing. I always feel like some parts are rushed while others are too wordy and drawn out. ;_;
> 
> I'll be sure to work on that. Hope y'all enjoy anyway!

You stumble in the darkness and land on the cold floor with a thud, a small grunt escaping your mouth upon impact. You hear a small whimper to your side and you hastily shove yourself up and look for the source. Frisk was on their back and slowly beginning to sit up. You crawl over to them.

“Frisk! Are you okay?” You question silently.

The child rubs their forehead before giving a small nod. You sigh in relief before standing up and peering into the darkness. The room was a dreary blue-gray; many beds were lined up side by side with dusty, pale pink sheets, a few dying potted plants here and there, and a lone blue dog dish sat empty at the corner of the room. You feel Frisk’s hand wrap around yours as they stand at your hip.

“What is this place?”

**[This is the True Lab. It is where the procedure will take place.]**

You shudder at the sudden sound of Gaster’s deep, distorted voice loud in your head and look around.

“Gaster? Where are you?” you ask a little louder than you intended.

**[I enchanted your souls to temporarily link our minds. I cannot leave in order to guide you, so this was necessary in order for us to communicate.]**

You look to your chest, an uncomfortable idea wriggling its way into your brain: if you can hear his thoughts, does that mean he can hear yours?

**[I can indeed hear your thoughts so please try to stay focused, ______.]**

You gulp. Well, that answers that question.

“Uh… How did we get here?”

**[I expelled you through one of the pockets in between the Void and reality. This one was the closest to your destination I knew of. I will reopen the doorway in this room once you finish here.]**

Frisk is looking down, shivering lightly with their fingers firmly wrapped around your hand. You didn’t blame them for being scared, this place gave you the creeps. You look around and note the branching hallways; this place must be huge. Reading your concerns, Gaster’s voice interjects your thoughts.

**[Take the hallway to the North and turn left. Continue down that corridor until I tell you to halt.]**

You peer around as you begin to take small steps, Frisk keeping pace with their eyes to the floor. The sounds of your footsteps echoed through the empty, neglected room as you gradually make your way to the corridor. You lean around the corner and survey the hall for any signs of danger. As you walk, you note the soft green glow of a few monitors embedded into the walls and glance over the text; they seemed to be records of experiments. Sweat was beginning to form on the back of your neck and the hairs on your arms were standing on end as you trekked down the hall, a sinister feeling clouding your mind.

**[Watch out, I sense a presence nearby.]**

Those words caused your heart to skip a beat and you swing your head around with wide eyes. You push Frisk behind your back and they cling to the fabric of your pants. Just out of the blackness, you see an indistinguishable white figure slowly dragging it’s bulky body closer, a low, garbled growling expelling from it. As it got closer, you recognized fur and a pair of perked ears that appeared to be a dog’s. It was a horrific creature that had a hole in the center of it’s face leaking a strange ooze that you assumed to be slobber. It’s whole body seemed to be melting to the floor, it’s many legs stumbling and shifting under its massive form. You stood, quaking in fear as it approached. Your mind was racing when your memory sparked; the multipurpose tool. It was still in your pocket.

With a swift movement you pull the tool from your sweatpants, fumbling to pull out the knife. It’s growling gets louder as you stand there, shivering with the small knife clasped in both hands and pointing out toward the dog beast. Just then, Frisk lets go of your pant leg and walks out in front of you right towards it.

“F-Frisk what are you doing!” You yell in a quieted voice. The child only keeps walking and the dog stops in place, no longer growling but giving a curious tilt of the head. They then put a hand out to the creature. It slowly leans in and sniffs their hand before lowering its ears down as Frisk gives it a few scratches. You lower your arms as you stare in awe as Frisk pets the creature and it curls up into a cozy lump. A few moments later the dog stands back up and gives an echoing yip before turning around and lumbering back off the other way, a small nub of a tail wagging as it goes.

“What was that?” You mutter as your heart rate gradually decreases.

**[That was an amalgamation of monsters who had been injected with determination. Because a monster's form is made of magic, the determination causes their bodies to melt and deform.]**

“So that's why Flowey is so different then… because he's made of physical matter?”

**[Correct. An excellent observation.]**

Frisk then steps back up before you with their hands crossed behind their back and a guilty look on their face. You sigh and give a small smile.

“It's okay. That was awesome, Frisk. How did you know what to do?”

They look down before shrugging their shoulders. You frown and you scrunch your brows. Did they just wing it? Kid could have gotten themselves killed.

**[We are running out of time. You must keep moving. The machine is just up ahead.]**

Gaster spoke quickly, the sudden urgency in his voice surprised you. Frisk grasps your hand again and you both continue down the hall. Soon you reached another room and you gawk at the large machine that sat in the center of the room. It was a dull bronze and the design reminded you of an animal skull of some kind. It was split down the center with a hole on either side.

**[That is the DT Extraction machine. Do not be intimidated, it is rather simple to operate. There should be a panel with the controls located to the right side of it.]**

Sure enough, there was a slanted desk riddled with switches and buttons of many colors built into the side. You step over towards it and scan the labels of each input: an on/off switch, a “power” knob that lists numbers 1 to 10, a “subject restraint” lever, a “sample eject” button, a cliche big red button that read in bold letters “ACTIVATE”, and finally an emergency shutdown switch locked behind a glass case. There were other switches as well, but the text on them was worn and illegible.

“So what now?” you ask in a small voice as you eye the ominous tech.

**[One of you must enter the machine while the other activates it. Decide amongst yourselves who will do what first, but be swift.]**

You look to Frisk who gave a frown and they rubbed their small hands together nervously. You’re not sure how much you trust a 9 or so year old kid with your soul, but there was no way you were going to let them go first if something went wrong. You sigh hugely.

“I’ll go in first. Do you think you can handle stuff out here?”

Frisk gives a small nod with a worried look, tugging your hoodie as they do so.

“It’ll be okay. You got this pal.” you place a hand on their shoulder. A new confidence shows on their expression and they nod once more. With that, you then split and begin making your way to the front of the large machine. Frisk stays put by the control panel and gives a thumbs up to you. You stare into the eerie machine’s opening and the hairs on the back of your neck begin to stand up, your hands clenched into outwardly into fists.

**[Wait, do not enter just yet. The machine must be activated beforehand.]**

“Okay.” you reply anxiously.

You then look over to the side of the machine to see Frisk beginning to press a series of buttons while giving the occasional nod. Suddenly, there is a low mechanical humming coming from the huge metal structure and you reflexively step back. The holes on the machine begin to glow with a dull white light and the dark entrance opens wider. This take about a minute until you hear a small ‘khhrrr’ of steam as the machine finally settles. You breath shakily. ‘Do I go in now?’ you think.

 **[Yes. You will come across a circular pedestal which you will stand upon. Do** **_not_ ** **step off of it until the extraction is finished.]**

With that, you slowly step forward as you stare into the blackness with wide eyes, heart thumping in your chest. Your feet clank against the hollow metal floor. You squint and feel around, unable to make out anything the deeper you went in. A sudden pressure in your chest causes you to stop and gasp. Looking down, your chest was beginning to glow a dim yellow.

**[Keep moving.]**

Gaster’s voice urges and you reluctantly continue, the pulling at your chest progressively getting stronger as you do. The light from your chest illuminates the surroundings and you finally see a gray metal pedestal. You hesitantly climb onto it and stand squarely in the center, waiting with bated breath. A few moments pass until the machine begins to hum and a glass tube falls over the pedestal, trapping you inside.

You pull your arms up to your chest and clench a hand around your wrist as you feel a tingling sensation on your whole body. It was tolerable for the first minute but it grew in intensity, feeling like less of a tingle and more like a strong current of electricity was coursing through every inch of your form. Your vision was growing blurry but you could make out a red haze being pulled from your body and draining through a vent at the top of the tube. You fell to your knees as the haze was pulled from you, your limbs beginning to feel weak. You sat with clenched teeth as you endured the pain, wretched cries beginning to leak from your mouth.

 

~~~~~~

 

“Can you hand me the flathead screwdriver?” Alphys asked with a beckoning claw outstretched behind her as she worked with her other hand. Sans nabbed the screwdriver and passed it to her and she swiftly begin making use of it, unscrewing a panel from the machine. She wipes the sweat from her brow with the sleeve of her dirtied gown and turns to Sans.

“A-are you sure this is g-going to work?” she frowns as she adjusts her glasses to look at the large blueprint rolled out on the counter.

“it has to.” His response was short and quiet as he taps a knuckle against the metal. “how much longer until the adjustments are finished?”

“It'll b-be about another week or so if these new equations you came up with work out.”

“really? alph, we don't have that kind of time. is there any way we can speed this along?”

“No Sans. We can't make any mistakes unless y-you’re okay with risking getting stuck in the Void like Gast-”

Just then, an alarm started to go off along with the sound of vibration. Looking over, Sans noticed a cellphone on the desk, the screen flashing rapidly. With a gasp, Alphys rushed over.

“what is that? you getting a call?”

Alphys’s eyes narrowed as she looked up to Sans.

“No! It's m-my security alarm. It only goes off when the c-cameras detect an intruder. I have to get home immediately!” she exclaims.

Sans huffs. Of course this would happen when they were on a time crunch.

“okay fine. we can put this on hold for now. c’mon, let's hurry to river person.” Sans replies as he quickly approaches the door.

“That'll take too long! J-just teleport us!” the yellow monster yelled in frustration as she got closer. Sans tenses.

“i don't know about that.”

Alphys clenches her claws into fists and frowns.

“Sans please! I c-can’t risk anything getting stolen or my work being tampered with! I have some v-very delicate equipment in there that could very likely break or even explode if not handled properly.” she pleads. With a sigh, Sans grabs her arm and his eye begins to glow blue.

“fine, but hold on tight.”

With that, the floor beneath him disappears as he visualizes the old, dreary lab beneath Hotland. His feet land on the ground and he sighs with relief as he recognizes Alphys still clinging to his arm. She releases him and hastily begins looking around and Sans does the same, noting that they ended up in the room lined with yellow flowers.

“Where do you think they are?” she whispers.

Sans’s entire body tensed at the sudden sound of screaming echoing down the corridor. That high pitched yell; he recognized it instantly. They were the same desperate cries that rang in his head when you were yanked from his arms. His neck cranes to the source of the noise and begins racing towards it.

“Sans wait! W-what was that?” Alphys calls as she struggles to keep pace.

“it was ______. the other human.” He pants out as he turns a corner. The cries were unnervingly close to the same room as the DT Extractor. He picked up speed until finally he reached the huge room, Alphys panting as she leans up against a wall to catch her breath. Sans scans the room until he sees a small body leaned over the machine’s operation panel, crying as they frantically press various buttons. Sans runs over by their side and pulls them away.

“kid! what are you doing in here? what’s happening?”

The child stares at Sans before they begin signing to him. Sans was rather well versed when it came to sign language as he studied it with Gaster all that time ago, though the child was signing so quickly he was having trouble keeping up.

_Power switch is stuck! I can’t turn it off. Help! ______ is in there!_

Just then, a still winded Alphys shoves Frisk away from the panel and turns a knob labeled “power” all the way down to 1 before rushing off into another room. The cries from the machine were less intense now, but there was still a hollow wail. Not a moment later, Alphys rushed back in with a bronze key in hand and shoves it into the panel before pulling up a glass box and shoving the switch over. The sounds coming from the machine then suddenly die and the front slowly opens. Sans darted to the front of the machine and made his way inside, his every step followed by Frisk and then Alphys.

 

~~~~~~

 

You lay there limp, feeling as though someone had wrapped you in a blanket of fiberglass, every one of your nerves stinging and every limb numb. Never in your life had you ever felt so physically, mentally and emotionally drained all at once. Your breaths were slow and small as you try to focus in on the muffled words through the ringing in your ears. You feel yourself being lifted by your back as many frantic voices yell out.

“come on pal, wake up!”

Normally you would readily listen to the demand, but right now, you just wanted to keep your eyes shut. A nap won’t hurt. After what you just went through, you need some time to recuperate, right? The voices begin to fade into murmurs as you let yourself drift and a pleasant warmth envelops your form.


	14. Hopes and Dreams and Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of a determination extraction.

(Sans POV)

 

“______! open your eyes! damn it, wake up!” Sans shook your form by the shoulders and continued to yell in desperation as you went limp. Frisk knelt beside him and gripped his jacket as tears flowed. Sans hurriedly positions two phalanges just below your chin. The soft pulsing of your heart below his fingertips caused him to release the breath he had been holding, relief washing over every bone.

Alphys suddenly shoved passed the two and stared at you with wide eyes before she then began to reach down. On edge and upset, Sans yanked you away from her claw and glared at the yellow monster’s bewildered expression as she cowered, pulling away.

“S-Sans, she needs m-medical attention. Come on, w-we can take the elevator b-back upstairs and examine her condition there, alright?”

Sans looks back down to your face, noting your small breaths as he used a thumb to sweep a few loose strands of hair behind an ear and away from your mouth. With a sigh, he carefully laces his arms around your limbs and hoists you up bridal-style. Frisk backs away and stares up at him as they wring their hands anxiously.

“we’ll talk later, kiddo.” he says as he turns toward Alphys.

“alright, let's go.”

 

~~~~~~

 

The group steps out of the elevator and into the bright light of Alphys’s home. The small reptilian shuffled ahead and pointed them towards an escalator where upon reaching the top, she hastily grabs several empty noodle cups strewn about and tosses them into a pile before unfolding a large blue cube into a bed. Sans rushes over and gently lays your limp form down. Sans looks up to Alphys who was standing on the other side of the mattress, eyeing him. He rolls his pupils in his sockets and backs away, turning around to see Frisk distractedly toying with an odd contraption leaking pink goo. He gets closer and leans against it, Frisk’s gaze snapping to him.

“heya pal. so you gonna tell me what happened or what? we were all pretty _rattled_ you just disappeared on us like that.” Sans began, the grin on his face strained. Frisk only tensed before they wrapped their arms tightly around his ribs. He was rather taken aback by the embrace but sighed through his teeth and placed a boney hand in their dark hair.

“aw, didja miss me? _tibia_ honest, it was kinda _bonely_ around here without ya.” he chuckled. Frisk released him and began signing marginally slower than usual.

_I am so sorry I made you worry for so long. I was trapped._

“yeah, i heard. you got nothing to be sorry for.” he said in a comforting tone as he returns his hands to his jacket.

“now, you need to honest with me here. what did gaster want with you?” The lights in his sockets fade in anger, the mere thought of that lame excuse for a father harming them enraged him. However, the lights brightened back up once he noticed the air of guilt hanging over the kid.

_I made a deal with him. I don’t really blame him for keeping me there. He must have been so lonely._

It took Sans a moment before his brow bones fell in interest.

“a deal? what kind of deal?”

They crossed their arms and bit their lip before signing a short response.

_It’s a long story. I think it would be easier for ______ to tell you._

He glanced back to your peaceful form on the bed then noticed Alphys digging through a cabinet for something. He groaned and looked back to Frisk who had a forlorn expression.

_I never meant for this to happen. I’m so sorry._

Geez, this kid is way too hard to stay mad at; especially with an expression like that. He placed a hand on their shoulder and gave a reassuring grin.

“don’t look so blue, kid. nobody’s perfect.”

A small smile hitched on their lips. Suddenly, Alphys’s voice calls out to the two.

“Sans! Frisk! C-come here please.”

When the duo reached the bedside, Sans’s eye sockets narrowed at the peculiar bag clutched in Alphys’s claws.

“uh, what’s that?”

“Oh I th-thought maybe we could try this.” she says as turns the bag around so that bold black letters were visible. Sans gives an unamused frown.

**_MTT-Brand Smelling Salts_ **

That damn robot has a product of his own for everything.

 

~~~~~~

(Your POV)

 

You giggled along with your parents and younger brother as you sat swaddled up cozily on the couch as you watched the comedy that was playing on the television. You peered around at their happy, relaxed expressions around you. The living room was so lively for once. It’s not everyday that both of your parents are off of work at the same time for you to be able to enjoy this kind of quality time with each other, but it was so nice. You scooched closer to your mother, leaning your weight against her side and she gently wrapped her arm around you. It was so warm, comfortable, blissful. No arguing and no negative thoughts clouded your mind. You close your eyes and give a contented sigh, wishing this could last forever.

**[It cannot. This is nothing more than a dream.]**

A voice rings in your mind. A familiar, somewhat garbled voice booming over the television. Your eyes immediately open back up to scan the room only to see nothing but blackness, the warmth of your mother and the laughter of your family gone in an instant. A gasp expels from your lips as the memories are flooding back.

A dark laboratory.

An ominous machine.

Uncertainty.

And finally pain.

You had been stuck underground for nearly two weeks. You had ventured in order to find a way out, to find a child, to find a friend but for who? You dig into the farthest recesses of your mind as the somehow comforting image of a tall, white creature in a purple dress appears.

**[This is quite interesting. The machine malfunctioned and extracted much more determination than was planned. It is a miracle that you are even still alive.]**

It was all beginning to return. A kind goat-like woman, two friendly skeleton brothers, a man with a hole in each hand and a child in a striped shirt.

A name then surfaced in your brain.

“Gaster?”

**[So you can hear me. Do you remember what happened?]**

Your skin prickles as the hazy memory of red essence begin pulled from your body sharpens.

“Not really. Where am I?”

**[You are asleep in Alphys’s laboratory. You passed out from shock after Alphys shut down the machine.]**

Gaster pauses for a moment before returning, his voice spiked with curiosity.

 **[When I first interrupted your dream, your soul seemed weak and yet now I can feel it. It exudes energy. I must admit, I am incredibly intrigued as to why this is, though it may have something to do with your soul’s color.]** Gaster’s voice begins to lose it’s professional tone as he speaks and begins to sound excited. You grip your arms together across your chest. You recall from your confrontation with Flowey that you had a yellow soul. Sans had mentioned something about your soul, yet nothing about the color or what it meant.

“The color of my soul?” you call out in hopes that he would elaborate.

**[Yes. All human souls have a color unique to the individual depending on their personality and morals. Your color is yellow which means you strive for Justice… How very curious. Let me ask you, what is your hope? What goal is keeping you motivated?]**

The question caught you off guard. What _were_ you doing? Well, everyone you had met in the Underground thus far all had one thing in common; they were relative strangers yet you still find yourself not wanting to disappoint them. To help them in any way you can. Even Gaster, as vague and threatening as he seemed, didn't deserve to be stuck all alone. If you were going to get out of here and back to the surface, they were coming with you one way or another.

Gaster’s sudden chuckle reverberates. You were so caught up in your thoughts that you forgot Gaster was able to hear them.

**[How very noble of you…]**

Yet another awkward silence. Your muscles tense, a feeling vulnerability creeping up your back until he speaks again.

 **[You are an interesting human,  ______. I have learned so much about human souls since you arrived.]** He hums. You're not sure how to react. Was that a compliment or..?

“Uh, thanks…” you pause and peer around into the darkness as a question nags you.

“Gaster, what happened to my, uh, ‘determination’ that got taken?”

**[It is still contained within the machine. Fortunately there should be just enough essence for me to gain enough of a physical form, albeit most likely a very loose one. All that matters is that I will be able to finally leave.]**

Part of you feels proud for being able to single-handedly accomplish that, but another part shudders at what the outcome would have been if you let Frisk go first.

“That’s great. So… now what?”

You hear him grunt quietly before speaking up in a lower tone.

**[That all depends on what my son plans on doing with you once you awake. Given how enamored he appears to be with you, I am doubtful he will allow you into the Void again. You are going to have to convince him to bring me the sample.]**

Enamored? That was an odd choice of words. Sure, he invited you to his house and took you out for food, but Sans was just being friendly to make it up to himself and Toriel. He said so himself.

**[Think whatever you want, dearest.]**

You cringe at the pet name when suddenly your head begins to ache and a strong smell overwhelms your senses. You reflexively clamp your hands over your nose.

“Ugh… what _is_ that?”

**[They are waking you up. Just retrieve the sample from the machine. Do not lose it.]**

His voice echoes as everything is enveloped in white and you hear hushed voices in both of your ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said it once and I'll say it again: I REALLY need to work on my pacing skills. x~x


	15. Reality Check

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhhh I'm so sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I went back and revised it like 6 times. I hope it's alright though. Don't worry, the next chapter will be much longer. x-x

_Ow, oww, owww..._ You thought the hangover headache was bad but this was excruciating. Your eyes fluttered open only to be assaulted by overwhelming white lights which caused the throbbing in your head to worsen. You hear a high-pitched gasp to your right so you squint your eyes in order to investigate.

You’re face to face with a pale yellow lizard wearing a labcoat and circular glasses staring right at you with an amazed appearance, a small cloth bag in her left claw.

“O-oh, thank Asgore! You’re awake!” she says as she leans in closer to your face. Too close. You scream and thrash until you accidentally roll off of the other side of the bed and land on the floor with a thud. You feel a tap on your arm and open your eyes to see Sans and Frisk looking down at you with worry. Leaning up, you're immediately tackle-hugged by Frisk who was giggling, absolutely elated. You tense before returning the hug.

“Ehe, good to see you too.” you laugh half-heartedly. They release beginning to sign and you frown, looking up to Sans who was watching with a huge grin.

“frisk says that their glad you're okay. we both are.” Sans chuckles and takes a step forward, his hand extended out to you. You stare at it for a moment before hesitantly accepting the gesture. You're pulled up from the ground when suddenly the yellow creature from before nervously steps from around the other side of the bed, her face a brilliant shade of red. Sans steps to the side.

“I’m s-so sorry! I d-didn’t mean to scare you. Are y-you okay?” she sputtered. You give an awkward smile and cross your arms to your chest.

“I'm fine… I think. Uh, who are you?”

“Oh, s-sorry. I’m Dr. Alphys, the r-royal scientist. Nice to meet you.” the coy creature gives a little bow.

“Yeah, you too. I’m ______.”

Pausing, you peer around at the long room. The pale pink walls were plastered with posters of old anime some of which you recognize, worn plastic figurines were neatly placed on shelves along with dozens of vhs tapes and dvds, a workbench upon which tools and blueprints messily sat and empty noodle cups littered the floor. Gaster said you were in a lab but it looked more like an otaku college student's dorm. Only much bigger.

“What happened?” you ask quietly as you look at Frisk. They frown and Sans speaks up, stepping closer.

“i was hoping you could tell us. seriously, where were you two and why were you using that machine?” His brows were scrunched as he stared, tense under his gaze. Geez, where do you even start? So much had happened since you left Toriel and it’s only been about a day and a half. As you recall every detail since being taken, your migraine began to worsen and you place a palm against your forehead. Wincing, you take a seat back on the bed, fighting the growing urge to just lay back and take a much needed nap.

“Didn’t Frisk tell you already?”

“the kid said it would be best if you did the explaining.” Sans replies as he places a hand on Frisk’s head and tousles their hair. “they told me about making a deal with my dad and that’s got me a little more than curious so… would you mind throwing me a _bone_ and spilling it?”

“Wait Sans, m-maybe we should let them rest a little. I mean, we d-don’t know what they went through. They’re p-probably both exhausted.” Alphys interjects pointedly. You smile a little at the nervous reptilian monster’s concern then look to Sans who was holding a neutral expression.

“is that true? you two want to take it easy for now?”

You look to Frisk and they just shrug. Well as much as your body wanted to say yes, you really did want to get it over with. It would probably be best to talk about it while everything is still fresh in your memory so you don’t accidentally gloss over any details that may be important.

“Frisk, you’re gonna have to help.” you sigh. The kid nods and hops up on the bed beside you. Sans and Alphys grab some chairs from the workbench and sit before you, Sans crossing his arms over his lap and Alphys curling her tail over her toes, her eyes wide with interest. You take a moment to gather your thoughts and resolved to ask about the sample of determination that was drawn out of you once you finish, though you couldn’t help the feeling of unease as you recall Gaster mentioning that Sans may not allow you to get it into the Void. If it comes down to it, you’ll have to take care of it yourself later and that thought frightened you.

“Alright, so… I don’t really know where to start.”

“just start from when you got taken into the void.” Sans speaks up in a soft tone. Well, guess that makes sense. You take a deep breath.

 

~~~~~~

 

The first thing you went over was what happened after you woke up and the two listened intently as you explained how you met Gaster. They were both silent, Sans with a constant calm interest and Alphys was incredibly fascinated, going so far as to even grab a notepad and pen to write things down. Not too long later you reach the meat of the matter: why he had held Frisk captive and why he wanted you.

“I knew it! So it might be possible... It was still r-really risky though.” Alphys blurts out. Sans nods in agreement.

“she’s right. what if we weren’t here to get you outta there? you coulda gotten yourself killed, kid.”

You roll your eyes.

“Alright _mom._ I was just trying to get us all out of there. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Ya know, given the alternative of him just keep us there until I agreed.” You reply, much more snarky than you intended. Sans sighs in annoyance before changing the subject.

“alright, gaster wanted out but you still haven’t told us about this ‘deal’ you mentioned. frisk, what did you want from him?” The lights in his eye sockets peer over to Frisk who was absentmindedly swinging their legs over the side of the bed before they look to you.

"What? You want me to tell him? This was your idea."

They shake their head and leap off the bed, stepping to Alphys and pointing to her notepad. She nods and hands it to the child with the pen slid under it’s metal coils. They return to their spot next to you and flip the page before jotting something down.

_Please back me up on this._

“what did they write?” Sans pries. You look back to Frisk and give them a little nod. They smile back and look to Sans as they sign something lengthy. Alphys’s jaw drops which causes her glass to slide down her face and Sans furrowed his brows.

“why would you need a monster soul?” Sans questions in a sceptical tone.

“Yeah, I asked the same question..” you add quietly. Frisk hesitates before giving a short reply.

“F-for a f-flower?” Alphys stutters, seeming very uncomfortable all of a sudden. They nod and Sans places his palm to his skull and groans.

“oh don’t tell me you’re talking about that yellow freak, are ya?”

Sans knows Flowey? Now that’s gotten you curious. You wonder for a moment how they would have known each other before you notice Frisk stick out their tongue, signing angrily.

“pal, your heart’s in the right place, but i think it would be best to _leaf_ him alone. he’s dangerous. you oughta know that first hand, right?” Sans’s voice lowered at the end of that statement and Frisk visibly tenses. The way Sans said that caused a pit to grow in your stomach and brought a few good questions to the front of your mind; how did Frisk even know Flowey anyway? If Flowey had met them when they first fell like he did with you, how did Frisk figure out he didn't have a soul? Every answer just leads to more questions. Just then, Frisk pats your knee with a pleading look. You breath lowly as you raise your head back up to Sans who was tapping a phalange impatiently on his kneecap.

“Frisk thinks that no one deserves a life without love and if Flowey has a soul, he’ll be able to feel and won’t act so aggressive anymore. Seems reasonable to me.” you state plainly.

“yeah, but how does gaster plan on making a monster soul? not only that, but how are you gonna convince flowey to even go along with your plan, huh?”

Frisk looks dejected and wrings their palms timidly. Alphys had been quiet ever since you had started discussing the flower but then begins to mumble. Everyone turns their attention to her and she shifts anxiously in her chair.

“what is it, alph?”

"I’m s-sure it’s possible to create a monster soul if g-given enough time and research... So I have to agree with th-them. To exist in a world w-without emotion isn't fair." She sounds wistful. The air was dense with apprehension as you all waited for Sans’s argument. You noted that Alphys was beginning to sweat and tense up as if she was regretting speaking up. With a sigh, Sans stands up from his seat and shrugs.

“that's three to one. i guess… if you think it'll work, i’ll help out however i can.”

Frisk bounces off the bed and leaps onto Sans, wrapping him into a huge hug. He nearly topples over under the unforeseen cuddling before regaining his footing and chuckling thoroughly.

“heh heh, don't sweat it kid. let's just hope something good _stems_ from this, yeah?”

You stifle a laugh and so does Frisk. It was the first time you'd heard them make any kind of vocal exclamation but it was adorable. You felt hope grow in your chest. Maybe he would let you bring the sample to Gaster after all. If he was so easy to convince giving that deranged dandelion an artificial soul, then surely he would have to agree to it. Alphys steps up and taps Sans on the shoulder while mumbling something inaudible.

“yeah, good idea. you do that while i get these two patched up. i’ll come back over in a little while, kay?” he replies just loud enough for you to hear. Alphys nods and shuffles off to an escalator, out of sight in seconds. Frisk was still clinging to Sans’s waist and he rubs their head.

“alrighty bud, wanna go say hi to paps? he’s gone bone-nanas trying to find ya.”

Frisk releases him and nods enthusiastically before looking to you with a huge smile. You smile back before looking to Sans.

“What about Gaster? Don't we need to get the “determination” or whatever?”

Sans waves a hand and shakes his head.

“don't worry about all that. alphys and i’ll take care of it. there’s some stuff we need to do first. for now, you okay with going back to snowdin and hanging out with my bro?”

You give a quick nod. With that, Sans begins walking toward the escalator that Alphys took, beckoning you to follow.

“let’s go then. we’ll take the scenic route this time.”

Yeah, that's probably a good idea.

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to leave a comment! I absolutely love seeing feedback. It really helps me stay motivated to improve and keep writing. <3


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